SERVES 6
Mango is by far my favorite fruit and I had to find a way of incorporating it in a sauce. This mango-jalapeño sauce goes perfect with the mildly spiced sea bass preparation. Your palate will first taste the sweetness of the mango and finish with a kick of the jalapeño. I use the Alphonso mango puree in making this sauce as it has a rich, creamy, tender texture and delicate, non-fibrous, juicy pulp. This mango grows on the western coast of India and gets its name from Alfonso de Albuquerque, a Portuguese general and military expert who helped establish Portuguese colonies in India in the 16th century. Apparently, he loved this mango so much that he decided to name it after himself.
For preparing the fish
6 six-ounce skinless sea bass filets
1 tsp coriander seeds, finely ground
½ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp red chili powder. I use a mild variety like the Kashmiri chili powder
1 tsp coarse salt, adjust to taste
½ tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp black mustard seeds
12 curry leaves (optional)
6 cups cabbage, finely shredded
4 tbsp olive oil
For preparing the mango-jalapeño sauce
2 cups pureed Indian mangoes. I use canned Alfonso mango puree
1 jalapeño chile, stemmed, seeded and chopped
1/3 cup good quality olive oil
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 Mix the finely ground coriander seeds, turmeric powder, red chili powder, ½ tsp coarse salt and ½ tsp ground black pepper in 2 tbsp of olive oil. Coat the sea bass filet with the spice paste and set aside. Let it marinate for about 30 minutes to an hour.
2 For preparing the mango-jalapeño sauce, pour the mango puree in a blender and add the chopped jalapeno chili. Process until very smooth. Slowly add the olive oil and blend until well incorporated. Add the lime juice and blend for a few more seconds. Transfer to a container and set aside for use later when plating the fish. You can keep any excess sauce in the refrigerator for up to a week.
3 Preheat the oven to 400 °F. Place a large non-stick, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned sea bass filets and sear for about 1 minute, or until the bottom of each filet is lightly browned. Turn and sear the other side for another minute. Roast in the oven for about 10-12 minutes, till the fish is set on the outside but still a little moist in the center.
4 While the fish is roasting, heat the remaining 2 tbsp of the olive oil in a large sauté pan over high heat. Add the mustard seeds and the curry leaves (optional). After they mustard seeds splutter for a few seconds, add the cabbage. Sauté for about 4 minutes while stirring constantly, till the cabbage begins to wilt. Remove immediately from the heat and transfer to a container. Tent the cabbage lightly with a foil to keep it warm.
5 Pour the sauce in the center of a dinner plate. Spread it using a spoon to form a disk of diameter 4–5-inches. Place a sea bass filet in the center of the disk. Place a small mound of the cabbage on top of the sea bass.
Serve immediately with a glass of dry white Riesling or Gewurztraminer wine.
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