Do you think I will live long enough to cook all the recipes I’ve clipped from newspapers or marked in cookbooks? I have made it a New Years Resolution to go through all of the Times Dining sections I’ve saved from the past year that have piled up, that I never seem to have time to get through on my subway ride to work because there are just way too many business messages I need to take care of first. I used to keep piles of those clipped recipes on my kitchen counter for easy access and inspiration. When the piles got to be over a foot tall (seriously), one of my friends told me I was being ridiculous and to move it somewhere. So now I am hiding these piles – in a space in a kid’s closet, under my bed, taking up two deep drawers in a dresser. It’s pitiful.
And then you know what – I come home from work, late, starving and I just want to eat something good and different, so I just make something up, quickly, with what’s on hand, no time to read a recipe. So on Friday night, I made up this dish, always welcoming sweet and savory combos and this, this roasted striped bass with shallots, fennel and persimmons was really, really delicious and different! (and super easy)
Here’s what I did.
STRIPED BASS WITH SHALLOTS, FENNEL AND PERSIMMONS – serves 2 – with a little left over
1 lb. striped bass fillet – washed and patted dry
Olive oil
1 shallot, sliced very thin on a mandoline
1/4 of a fennel bulb, sliced very thin on a mandoline
Salt – preferably French grey salt
Pepper – fresh ground
Paul Prudhomme’s seafood seasoning
2 persimmons, cored, peeled and sliced very thin
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Slick a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. Lay out the shallot and fennel evenly in a shape mimicking your fish shape. Drizzle a tiny bit of olive oil on top and season with salt and pepper.
Lay your fish fillet on top, covering everything. Drizzle a little olive oil on top of the fish and spread around to cover with your fingertips. Sprinkle on Paul Prudhomme’s seasoning to your liking. Cover with persimmon slices and drizzle a tiny bit of olive oil on top of those.
Roast in the oven for about 15 minutes, until the fish flakes to your liking.
Serve with love – enjoy!
A question for you all:
What is the difference between the dull and shiny side of aluminum foil? Can somebody tell me? I mean, I know they’re different but for what purpose, if any?
Rosemary Mullally says
Lovely
Rosemary Mullally recently posted…Things Fall Apart
Mary Frances says
Thanks Rosemary! Happy New Year!!
Jen Pisarkiewicz says
Great recipe. Looks delicious!
Mary Frances says
Thanks Jen!! It WAS really delicious – and different!
Jovina Coughlin says
Beautiful fish. I like fruit and seafood together.
Jovina Coughlin recently posted…Italian Regional Cooking – Veneto
Mary Frances says
Thanks Jovina – I was so pleased!
Amanda says
Wow this is really beautiful. The persimmon is such a great idea.
Mary Frances says
Thanks Amanda!! 🙂
John@Kitchen Riffs says
Gosh, I have hundreds and hundreds of recipes I want to make. I really need to get busy, don’t I? 😉 I love fish done in the oven. Haven’t tried it with fennel and persimmons, though. Need to add this to that list of hundreds and hundreds. 🙂
John@Kitchen Riffs recently posted…Oven Slow-Cooked BBQ Beef Brisket
Mary Frances says
I KNOW!!! We all clip so many – right?
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says
That’s a good question about the foil! I have no idea what the answer is though!
Mary Frances says
Well, I’ll have to do more research!
Gerry @ Foodness Gracious says
i bet the smell was amazing..and the taste 🙂
Gerry @ Foodness Gracious recently posted…Easy Oven Baked Salmon
Mary Frances says
It really was fantastic Gerry! Thanks for stopping by!!
Raymund says
What a very interesting yet a lovely combination of flavours, persimmon season is near so I will keep this recipe for me to try
Raymund recently posted…Suam na Mais
Mary Frances says
Thanks Raymund!! I think you will LOVE it!
mimi says
That looks so good. I wish I loved fennel more. I really should…
mimi recently posted…Pheasant
Mary Frances says
Aww – but fennel tastes so different in its many forms – fresh fennel roasted is so yummy and when it’s sliced thin it’s divine. This, with shallots under the fish is a lovely combination. Please try it this way. And it’s also a lovely digestive, raw. Besides, Fennel is probably delicious with quail!
Liz says
I cook a lot with salmon, but haven’t tired bass at home yet. This recipe looks delicious. Thanks for sharing.
Liz recently posted…A Guide to Knife Edges