Pan-Roasted Sablefish with Blue Crab Meat Mousse

Here's an upscale and pricey dish to serve.  Save it for a special occasion.

With that said, the combination of sablefish and blue crab meat is sublime.

This course has three elements I try to keep in mind when conceptualizing my food...

• different textures
• temperatures
• contrasting flavors

Sablefish is one of our best sustainable fish.  For my money, the crowning jewel of the ocean's treasure trove of goodies.  Found in the North Pacific, sablefish has a rich, buttery flesh and is a SUSTAINABLE alternative to the over fished, Patagonian Toothfish or Chilean seabass.  You can buy fresh Sablefish from Marx Foods.  The quality is excellent.

Florida Blue Crab Meat is in season right now.  Flesh so sweet and tasty, perfect for numerous kitchen applications.  Here I made a smooth mousse to compliment our fish.


My talented friend, Faith from An Edible Mosaic, was nice enough to bring me back some fabulous spices from her Middle Eastern trip.  I included two in this dish...

• Za'atar used to spice the sablefish 
• Kebsa, a Saudi spice mix consisting of lemon, cinnamon, cardamon, coriander, cumin, cloves, black pepper and galingal, used to wake-up the blue crab mousse

Enjoy...

Blue Crab Mousse

• 6oz blue crab meat - picked through for shells and broken bits  
• 1 tsp kebsa
• 2 tsp fresh dill - chopped
• coarse sea salt
• white pepper
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 tbs unsalted butter - softened to room temp

1.  In the bowl of a food processor, combine the crab meat, kesba, and dill.  Season with sea salt and white pepper. Pulse to incorporate.
2. With the motor running, steadily stream in the heavy cream.  You are looking for a nice smooth consistency.
3. Transfer to a glass bowl.  Add the butter.  Mix with a spatula.  Check for seasoning.  Add salt & pepper, if desired.

Pan-Roasted Sablefish

• 8 oz Sablefish fillet - skinned
• coarse sea salt
• white pepper
• za'atar
• Wondra flour
• safflower oil

1. Remove fish from fridge 30 minutes before cooking.  Pat dry with paper towel to remove excess moisture.  Season both sides of the fish with salt, pepper and za'atar.  (Note: take care with the za'atar, do not overdo it.)  Sprinkle both sides with the Wondra flour.
2. Heat 1/8 inch safflower oil in saute pan over medium-high heat.  When the oil begins to shimmer, gently lay the fish on the pan skinned side down.  Cook for 2.5 minutes.  Using a fish slice, flip the fish.  Cook for 3 minutes on second side.  
3. Remove to a wire rack to rest.

Note: Insert a metal skewer into the fish.  Hold for 10 seconds.  Put the skewer against the back of your hand, if...

• the skewer is cold, the fish is raw
• the skewer is warm, the fish is cooked to perfection
• the skewer is hot, the fish is fucked

Summer Relish

• 1 medium cucumber - seeded & diced
• 1 mango - diced
• 1 shallot - sliced into thin rings on the mandoline
• 2 tbs capers
• 1/4 cup avocado oil
• 2 tbs champagne vinegar
• 1 tbs lime juice
• coarse sea salt
• ground black pepper
• ground coriander
• fresh sorrel - chopped
• micro greens

1. In a glass bowl, combine the cucumber, tomato, mango, shallot, capers, oil, vinegar, and lime juice.  Mix to incorporate.  Season with salt, ground coriander and ground pepper.
2. Fridge overnight.
3. Before service, add the chopped sorrel to the relish.
4. Garnish the blue crab mousse with micro greens.

That's it for now...till we exchange a few words again...Peace!