Circle B Kitchen
Adapted from Gourmet
Serves 4
For the couscous:
2 cups low-salt chicken broth
6-7 oz Israeli couscous (or 1 box of toasted couscous pearls (such as Casbah)
½ tsp salt
1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
3 clementines
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
12 large green olives (such as Cerignola), pitted, quartered lengthwise
6 Medjool dates, pitted, diced
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped (reserve 1 tablespoon for garnish)
Bring broth to boil in small saucepan. Add ½ tsp salt, the chickpeas and the couscous. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat and simmer until all the liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes.
Using a microplane grater, remove the zest of the clementines and set aside. Peel the remaining skin from the clementines and cut segments into 1/4-inch pieces.
Add the olives, dates, mint, and clementines to the couscous. Stir to incorporate evenly. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
For the Sea bass:
4 6-oz portions of fresh sea bass filets (skin on)
olive oil
1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup orange juice
2 tsp fresh, chopped mint
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees
Pat dry the filets dry and season with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.
Heat a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Drizzle with enough olive oil to lightly coat the surface. When the olive oil begins to smoke, add the sea bass fillets, skin side up to the pan (careful not to crowd them in the pan) and sauté for 3-5 minutes or until a rich golden brown.
Turn the fish over and sauté another 2 minutes and then place the pan in the oven for about 8 minutes.
Remove the fish from the pan and keep warm. Place the sauté pan back on the stove and add the orange juice and zest to the pan drippings. Bring to a boil and let simmer until this is reduced to about 1/3 cup or until syrupy. Season with a little salt and pepper and the fresh mint.
To serve:
Place a good amount of the couscous on a plate and top with a sea bass filet. Drizzle with the orange juice reduction and a sprinkling of fresh mint.