Help! I need suggesions for striped bass.

[abadoozy]

I've recently come into some striped bass, pretty high quality from what I can tell, and I'm planning on cooking it tonight. I'll probably sous-vide the fish itself, but I'm looking for some sauce suggestions. I have very little experience cooking ocean fish, as it's very difficult to get where I live, so I definitely need some guidance!

Any suggestions? I'm thinking something Asian-inspired, maybe with coconut milk? But I'm open to almost anything. I definitely want the flavor of the fish to come through, as I rarely get anything like it.

Also not totally set on sous-vide, so if there's an alternate cooking method, I'm all ears.

[rlibkind]

Since you're considering sous vide, I assume we're not talking about a whole fish here. And is it real striped bass or the hybrid found in many markets, a white bass/striped bass aquaculture product (and not at all bad tasting, just not real striped bass)?

If you do have whole fish, I can think of no finer treatment than stuffing and roasting.

If you're working with steaks or filets, nothing wrong with simple broiling, baking, grilling or pan sauté. For sauce with any of these, or sous vide (though I don't see how sous vide would particularly benefit striped bass, and may even detract since you can't get a crispy skin) the classic would be a simple butter sauce with capers. Perhaps with the tiniest bit of anchovy if you like. Finish with some squeezes of fresh lemon.

Striped bass is so meaty that keeping the sauce simple is best, but because of that meaty-ness, you could also bake it in vegetables of your choosing. Tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, etc.

And just so we're clear, since different fish sometimes sport the same common name, all my recommendations are based on the fish known as striped bass found in the waters of southern New England, the mid-Alantic, Carolinas: Morone saxatilis.

Edited December 31, 2010 by rlibkind (log)

[abadoozy]

It's the hybrid, and it's skin-on fillets. I'd been under the impression that the skin on these wasn't especially great, thus the sous-vide. Am I wrong? Assume I'm a total idiot when it comes to ocean fish.

Given that it's the hybrid, is your advice the same?

[C. sapidus]

Steaming is another option, and we are quite fond of steamed sea bass with scallions, ginger, and black beans. James Peterson has a good recipe in Fish & Shellfish. Perhaps that recipe could be adapted for SV?

I love fish in coconut milk and Thai curry paste, but I would recommend something with less assertive flavors if striped bass is a rarity for you.

[lancastermike]

Since you're considering sous vide, I assume we're not talking about a whole fish here. And is it real striped bass or the hybrid found in many markets, a white bass/striped bass aquaculture product (and not at all bad tasting, just not real striped bass)?

If you do have whole fish, I can think of no finer treatment than stuffing and roasting.

If you're working with steaks or filets, nothing wrong with simple broiling, baking, grilling or pan sauté. For sauce with any of these, or sous vide (though I don't see how sous vide would particularly benefit striped bass, and may even detract since you can't get a crispy skin) the classic would be a simple butter sauce with capers. Perhaps with the tiniest bit of anchovy if you like. Finish with some squeezes of fresh lemon.

Striped bass is so meaty that keeping the sauce simple is best, but because of that meaty-ness, you could also bake it in vegetables of your choosing. Tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, etc.

And just so we're clear, since different fish sometimes sport the same common name, all my recommendations are based on the fish known as striped bass found in the waters of southern New England, the mid-Alantic, Carolinas: Morone saxatilis.

I'm with Bob on this. Not much better than a stuffed baked rockfish, the name I use for a real striped bass. I no nothing at all about sous vide cookery so I can't comment on that technique for this fish. But it can also be grilled.

[Borgstrom]

I made Striped Bass with Roasted Poblano Vinaigrette and Yellow Pepper Grits from Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill Cookbook a few weeks ago and was very happy with the results, especially the roasted poblano vinaigrette. Next time I'd probably cut back on the cream in the grits to make it a bit less rich, and increase the skillet temperature to get crispier skin.

[lancastermike]

By the way, here is a freshly caught rockfish

[abadoozy]

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions.

I ended up pan-frying them, first with just a simple brown butter sauce, then later (we had enough for 2 meals) I did a semi-green-curry-coconut milk sauce. Semi, as in I didn't add any heat, and mostly just made up a paste in the food processor.

Both were very good. I only wish I had a source for ocean fish that didn't involve lots of money and FedEx shipments!