Striped Bass En Croûte

Striped Bass En Croûte

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Striped Bass en Croûte is one of the most decadent fish recipes you could ever imagine. The mild flavor of the poached Striped Bass is enhanced by buttery leeks and mushrooms. What sends this recipe over the top is the rich, melt in your mouth Cream Cheese Crust. Each bite is heaven! Whether you decorate it with bits of pastry to simulate fish scales, draw tiny scales with a sharp knife or just leave the crust plain, Striped Bass en Croûte makes a fabulous and mouthwatering presentation.

Personally, leeks and mushrooms are two of my favorite vegetables. Sautéed in butter, they add an amazing delicate flavor to the striped bass. Add all this to a cream cheese crust and your palate will thank you.

Striped Bass en Croûte

By Gloria Kobrin Published: February 10, 2014

  • Yield:

  • 4 pounds of fish (6-8 Servings)

Ingredients

  • 1 recipe Cream Cheese Dough
  • 4 pounds Striped Bass (or any firm white fish) filleted and skinned
  • 1 large shallot minced
  • 1/4 pound White Mushrooms minced
  • 1 bunch Italien parsley
  • 1 cup Vegetable Broth
  • 1/4 cup white vinegar
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 2 bunches Leeks-white part only (save green for decoration) washed well and coarsely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons Sweet Butter
  • 1/4 cup unseasoned breadcrumbs
  • 1 large Egg Yolk beaten with 2 tablespoons water
  • olive oil spray

Equipment

  • 1 baking dish large enough to hold fillets
  • heavy duty foil
  • 1 cookie sheet lined with baking parchment
  • 1 medium saucepan with cover
  • 1 rolling pin

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to: 350° F. Spray baking pan.
  2. Rinse a small bunch of parsley. cut off stems. Mince enough parsley to equal 1/4 cup. Set aside.
  3. Sprinkle each fillet with salt and pepper. Scatter shallots on the bottom of baking pan. Place both fillets on top of shallots. Cover the fish with minced mushrooms and parsley. Pour vinegar and vegetable broth over the fish. Add just enough water to cover it.
  4. Spray a large piece of foil and cover the baking pan with it. Poach fish in the oven for 10 minutes. DO NOT ALLOW LIQUID IN PAN TO COME TO A BOIL. You should barely smell the fish as it is cooking. After 10 minutes, remove fish and vegetables and drain. Separate vegetables from fish and let each cool. Use cooking liquid for future fish stock or discard.
  5. Raise oven heat to: 400° F.
  6. Melt butter in saucepan over low heat. Add chopped leeks, stir well and cover. Cook leeks until they are soft and translucent-about 20 minutes. Stir often to be sure they don't burn. Remove cover and let leeks cool. Season with salt and pepper. Add minced mushrooms and parsley to leeks. Stir vegetables together.
  7. Remove dough from refrigerator. Divide dough into 2 slightly uneven balls-one larger than the other. Roll out smaller piece in to an oblong shape( large enough to hold the fillets) directly onto the cooking parchment. Sprinkle dough with breadcrumbs. Carefully, lay one fillet-top side down- on top of the crumbs. Cover with mushrooms, shallots and leeks. Lay the remaining fillet -underside down- on top of vegetables.
  8. Brush the inside edges of the bottom pastry with egg glaze.
  9. Roll out the larger ball of dough (on a floured surface) to match the fish shape on the bottom. Gently, lift dough (a pastry scraper can be used to help you lift the dough)and cover the top of the fish with it. Press the edges together all the way around the fish. Trim off any excess dough and use for decorations if you wish. You can create scales by pinching off small pieces of dough and attaching them to the top by scoring the top piece of dough and brushing on some egg glaze before pressing on the dough pieces. Brush the entire bass en croûte with egg glaze. Any further designs you want to make with a sharp knife will show up through the glaze. Bake 30-45 minutes or until pastry has turned golden brown. Your kitchen will smell heavenly. Serve with a beautiful salad.