Anyone tried Sea Bream?

[ironchef]

Yeah, it's a fish. It's pretty much the same texture and flavor as snapper, and the two are often times used interchageably to describe certain fish. For example, Tai Snapper is Pacific Red Sea Bream, which is what we got in fresh today at the restaurant. I was a little behind in my prep, but decided to do a special anyway.

I changed the final presentation after I took this pic. I 86'd the green oil since it was bleeding into the sauce (I wanted to see what it would look like), and instead of using a micro greens mixture like in the pic, I used micro cilantro instead, which would compliment the sauce better. This was just the sample for the front of the house to see and try, which is also why there is only 1 1/2 fillets instead of two full ones. But notice the nice, crispy skin . Bon appetit.

Pan Seared Crispy Pacific Red Sea Bream
Kahuku Sweet Corn, Local Asparagus, Sweet 100's, Micro Cilantro, Jasmine Rice, Roasted Tomato and Madras Curry Nage

 

[Bilby]

We get bream fairly often as a fish choice - black bream is pretty common.

What's a sweet 100??

Dish looks good too, I might add!!

 

[ironchef]

We get bream fairly often as a fish choice - black bream is pretty common.

What's a sweet 100??

Dish looks good too, I might add!!

Sweet 100's are a type of small tomato, smaller than cherry tomatoes, and are called that because they number 100 or more per cluster. They are very sweet with a slight acidity, and go well with a lot of different things.

 

[Bilby]

Thanks!! I love mini tomatoes. So much more reliable than large ones IMO.

 

[LadyCook61]

sorry to say I've never heard of it.

 

[ironchef]

sorry to say I've never heard of it.

If you see it in a restaurant, you should order it if you like fish.

 

[TATTRAT]

love it, great fish and very versatile.

 

[ironchef]

love it, great fish and very versatile.

Tatt, when did you go back to the mainland?

 

[TATTRAT]

man, we got bumped back to DC mid January. Rather unexpectedly. I am SOOOO bummed. I'll be back soon though, if not just for a vacation. I miss living on Oahu, BIG TIME!

Kinda a long story, but AF got called back to the Pentagon.

 

[archiduc]

Hi Ironchef,
Fresh Sea Bream, (1 3/4 lbs) gutted and with the dorsal fin removed, placed on a layer of salt, covered completely with more salt and baked for 18-20 minutes at Gas 7/425F/220C is fantastic.

Remove the fish from the oven and allow to stand for 5 mins. Break the crust and remove carefully - the skin comes away with the salt. Remove the fillets onto 2 warmed plates, sprinkle lightly with smoked paprika and drizzle with EVOO. Serve with a green salad and boiled potatoes.

Alternatively, serve with a sauce of your choice - e.g., Sauce Vierge

Regards,
Archiduc

 

[ironchef]

man, we got bumped back to DC mid January. Rather unexpectedly. I am SOOOO bummed. I'll be back soon though, if not just for a vacation. I miss living on Oahu, BIG TIME!

Kinda a long story, but AF got called back to the Pentagon.

That sucks man. I know that you were having fun here, with the exception to being hit by that car. You'll be back.

 

[ironchef]

Hi Ironchef,
Fresh Sea Bream, (1 3/4 lbs) gutted and with the dorsal fin removed, placed on a layer of salt, covered completely with more salt and baked for 18-20 minutes at Gas 7/425F/220C is fantastic.

Remove the fish from the oven and allow to stand for 5 mins. Break the crust and remove carefully - the skin comes away with the salt. Remove the fillets onto 2 warmed plates, sprinkle lightly with smoked paprika and drizzle with EVOO. Serve with a green salad and boiled potatoes.

Alternatively, serve with a sauce of your choice - e.g., Sauce Vierge

Regards,
Archiduc

I've done salt crusted fish before, but it's hard to do ala minute unless the guests are advised by the waitstaff before hand about the wait. I like to do this at home, or if I'm lazy, then I'll do it en papillote. My preference is to serve the fish with some type of vinaigrette. I like how the smooth fatiness in the vinaigrette compliments the texture and flavor of the fish.

 

[BrazenAmateur]

This thread makes me depressed that it seems to be so hard to find good micro greens in ANY store I go to (including Balducci's and WF). I've been looking for micro mustard greens for like half a year to no avail.

Dish looks beautiful.

 

[ironchef]

This thread makes me depressed that it seems to be so hard to find good micro greens in ANY store I go to (including Balducci's and WF). I've been looking for micro mustard greens for like half a year to no avail.

Dish looks beautiful.

We're lucky because we have several local farmers who grow various types of micro greens and we get them in fresh 2-3 times a week depending on how busy it is. My favorites are micro arugula, micro cilantro, micro shiso, and micro basil.

 

[GotGarlic]

This thread makes me depressed that it seems to be so hard to find good micro greens in ANY store I go to (including Balducci's and WF). I've been looking for micro mustard greens for like half a year to no avail.

Dish looks beautiful.

Have you tried growing your own? Shouldn't be too difficult.

 

[mbasiszta]

I have caught no less than 5 different species of Bream and Sea Bream in Queensland, Australia. This fish does not grow real large, but is a great little fighter and even a better meal. Any bream is a really firm, white fleshed great eating fish. I have cooked it whole, fileted and as a fish cake. Really do recommend this fish. I have never seen it offered in a restaurant, but if I did I would definitely order it.

 

[archiduc]

I've done salt crusted fish before, but it's hard to do ala minute unless the guests are advised by the waitstaff before hand about the wait. I like to do this at home, or if I'm lazy, then I'll do it en papillote. My preference is to serve the fish with some type of vinaigrette. I like how the smooth fatiness in the vinaigrette compliments the texture and flavor of the fish.

Hi Ironchef,

I regularly have this in Spain in a restaurant that, in the height of summer, probably does 150 (plus) cover a night. However, for ALL the waiters, it is a common method which they all understand AND they are able to explain it to guests who are more than willing to wait for the experience. AND it is an experience when this fish, encased in whiteness is brought to the table and served.

I love the moments of anticipation as the WAITER/WAITRESS demonstrates cutting throught the salt crust and lifting the fillets onto my plate. It is a bit of pure magic - of food theatre. Indeed, for the guest it is an experience. As an ex-chef, I know what is happening and could do it for myself quite happily. However, for the restaurant, I know just how many heads turn to see what`s going on. Indeed, I`ve heard other guests ask - "what is being served at that table?"

You can do this in a professional restaurant quite easily.

* Cooking the whole fish in salt is more forgiving in terms of time than cooking a fillet.

* Make it a couple of time for your staff and demonstrate how it should be served at the table.

* Nominate staff to be trained to serve the "Fish in a salt crust" - let them practice and the fish they use becomes the dinner/lunch for all staff so that all waiting staff are competent to advise customers and thus reduce wastage. Every waiter will want to serve this!

* Try (for yourself) baking the same weight of 3 fish for +5 minutes and -5 minutes for 2 of them to see just how forgiving this method is.

* In terms of service, what one serves with the fish as the sauce is critical - my recommendations would be:
- spinkled with smoked paprika and a light misting of EVOO;
- sauce vierge;
- sauce hollandaise;
- sauce maltaise - hollandaise flavoured with orange - preferably blood orange although I have served salmon with a clementine hollandaise which worked delightfully for all my guests;
- a foam although these are falling out of favour in the UK.

Of course the sauces then become the responsibility of the kitchen!!!!!

* Put the salt-crust fish on the menu as a "special" and train staff so that they are able to and competent to advise dinners about the dish.

Hope this helps,
Archiduc