Olive Oil Poached Striped Bass

From: Chef Jasper Mirabile, Jasper’s Ristorante, Kansas City, MO. Yield: 2 servings.

2 6-oz. pieces farm-raised striped bass
to taste, salt and pepper
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 shallot, crushed
6 to 8 peppercorns
1 sprig fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1 sprig fresh oregano
2 cups olive oil
as needed, mashed potatoes

In a roasting pan, add fish and season with salt and pepper. Let sit 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 250°F. Add remaining seasonings to roasting pan; cover fish with olive oil*. Place in oven and bake 45 minutes to an hour. When flesh starts to turn white, the bass is cooked. Remove bass from oil. Serve on a bed of mashed potatoes, with a favorite vegetable, if desired.

*Chef’s note: While it may seem odd to some, poaching fish in olive oil has been done for centuries. The oil actually coats the fish and does not saturate it. The olive oil seals in the flavor. I suggest using extra virgin olive oil because it has a lower smoke point. Remember: The key to poaching in olive oil is low and slow.