Striped Bass with Cucumber Broth

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Servings:
6

This inventive dish uses a flavorful broth of cucumber, garlic, and thyme to help infuse pan-fried striped sea bass for a meal that helps you break out of your typical meat-and-potatoes rut.

Ingredients

  • 2 ½ pounds cucumbers, peeled and seeded

  • ¼ cup heavy cream

  • 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish

  • ½ teaspoon coarse salt, plus more for seasoning

  • 6 fillets striped bass (about 6 ounces each)

  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • Freshly ground pepper

  • 1 garlic clove, minced

  • ½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, plus whole sprigs for garnish

Directions

  1. Cut 1 cucumber into 1/2-inch-thick slices; set aside. Pass remaining cucumbers through a juicer; you should have about 3 cups juice. Set aside.

  2. In a medium bowl, whip cream to soft peaks. Stir in horseradish and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover with plastic wrap, and place in refrigerator until ready to use.

  3. Using a sharp knife, make shallow slits in skin side of fish. Heat oil in a large ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until it is very hot. Season both sides of fish fillets with salt and pepper, and place in pan skin side down. Cook until skin is browned, about 5 minutes; turn, and saute until fish is cooked through, about 5 minutes more. Transfer fish to warm shallow serving bowls.

  4. Add garlic and reserved cucumber slices to pan; cook over low heat until cucumber is soft and translucent. Add reserved cucumber juice and the thyme leaves; cook just until mixture is hot. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle cucumber broth and slices around fish; garnish with horseradish cream and thyme sprigs.

Cook's Notes

Ask your fishmonger to cut fillets from center of fish so the pieces are about one inch thick.

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