Seared Sea Bass.

I am in my last three courses here at The CIA, known as Restaurant Row. Basically, I spend the day working in a real kitchen, that serves real food, to real public people. Crazy right? Seeing as I only got to make food for the student body for the past two years.
I am responsible for the Seared Sea Bass with Vegetable Ragout and Black Chard as well as the Seared Cod with Polenta Fries, Spaghetti Squash and Preserved Tomato Vinaigrette.

I make all of the components for both dishes, with the exception of butchering the fish, including the chorizo and preserved artichokes. Here is the recipe for the Sea Bass, it is probably my favorite fish dish on the menu. I make everything from scratch at Saint Andrews Cafe for this dish, but you could of course buy chorizo and artichokes and save yourself a lot of work.

Sauteed Bass, House Made Chorizo, Artichokes, Beans, Swiss Chard and Chardonnay Broth
Yield: 1 Portion
6oz portion of Sea Bass
Flour for dusting
1/2 oz Red Onion, small dice
2 oz Chard, blanched and rough chopped
1 oz Chorizo
2 Artichokes, packed in oil, quartered
2 oz Black Beans, fully cooked
1/2 oz Sundried Tomatoes, julienne
1/2 clove Garlic, Sliced
6oz Chardonnay Broth (see below)
Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes
Salt
Pepper
Oil

1. Preheat oven to 350. In a hot saute pan heat a small amount of oil. Dredge the flesh side only of the bass, season with salt and pepper. Place in hot pan. Allow to brown on flesh side, then flip and finish in the oven (about 7 minutes).
2. In a separate pan, sweat the onions. Add the kale and heat thoroughly. Season.
3. In a small saute pan, combine beans, tomatoes, chorizo, artichokes, pepperflakes, garlic and chardonnay broth. Bring to a simmer. Season. 
4. Place the chard in the middle of the bowl, surround it with the ragout and top with the seared fish. 

Chardonnay Broth
Yield: About 2 1/2 Gallons
2.5# Mussels, cleaned in cold water
8 oz Onions, rough chopped
4 oz Celery, rough chopped
1 ea Fennel Bulb, rough chopped
4 oz Leeks, whites only, rough chopped
4ea cloves Garlic, crushed
2 cups White Wine, preferably Chardonnay
10 ea Black Peppercorns, crushed
2 qt Water
46 fl oz Clam Juice
64 oz can Whole Tomatoes and Juice, crushed with your hands
1 bunch Basil
1/2 bunch Parsley

1. Sweat the vegetables in a small amount of oil until tender.
2. Add the garlic, white wine and peppercorns. Allow liquid to reduce by 1/2.
3. Add the water, clam juice and tomatoes. Let simmer on low heat for 1 hour.
4. Add the parsley and cleaned mussels. Simmer on low for an additional 6 minutes.
5. Strain out all of the solids and discard.