Delicious Saffron Broth for Poached Sea Bass
David Scott Allen · Fish & Seafood · Provencal Recipes · TasteA wonder of colour appears in this dish as the delicate threads of saffron delightfully paint the palette of the fish’s white flesh. The Poached Sea Bass is served in a saffron broth of fresh seafood stock with tomatoes, shallots and chives, it’s sure to bring a smile to everyone at your table. An excellent fish dish to try and serve any time of year. Read the full post and see the rest of David’s photos here.
Sea Bass Poached in Tomato-Saffron Broth
Fresh sea bass poached in a delicious shrimp and saffron broth.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 large shallot(s) peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 bay leaf
- 12 grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, quartered lengthwise
- 2 cups shrimp broth or fish stock or water
- 1 tsp saffron threads
- salt and black pepper
- 4 6- oz sea bass fillets Grouper - or cabrillo - also works well
- 1 tbsp chives snipped
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a very large (12" or larger) skillet.
- Sauté the shallots till clear but not brown.
- Add the wine and reduce by half ‐‐ about 5 minutes over medium‐low heat.
- Add the bay leaf, cherry tomatoes and shrimp stock.
- Bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the saffron, salt and pepper and simmer 3 minutes.
- Can be made 4 hours ahead up to this point.
- Return to a simmer before adding fish.
- Arrange sea bass fillets in a single layer on top of broth.
- Cover and cook for 2‐3 minutes.
- Turn fillets, cover and cook 2 more minutes. (Timing will depend on the thickness of your fillets - the fish should flake easily with a fork.)
- Divide sea bass fillets among four large, heated soup plates
- Spoon broth and tomatoes over top.
- Garnish with chives.
Notes
* Whenever I peel raw shrimp, I place all the shells in a resealable bag and keep it in my freezer. In addition to the shrimp shells, I also add pieces of shallot, onion, carrot, celery, and fennel. Then, when I need shrimp stock, I fill a saucepan with frozen shells and vegetables, and add water, a little white wine, salt, peppercorns, a couple of bay leaves, and a few sprigs of thyme, and boil it down. For this dish requiring 2 cups of shrimp broth, I use 3 cups of water and reduce it to the 2 cups I need. This ensures the concentration of the flavors. Simply strain and use.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Legal
All rights reserved. Perfectly Provence articles and other content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten (including translations into other languages) or redistributed without written permission. For usage information, please contact us.
Syndication InformationAffiliate Information
As an Amazon Associate, this website earns from qualifying purchases. Some recipes, posts and pages may have affiliate links. If you purchase via these links, we receive a small commission that does not impact your price. Thank you in advance for supporting our work to maintain Perfectly Provence.
Related Provence Articles
Tomates Provençales Recipes
July 13, 2015
As we start to come into the tomato season, more in the Mediterranean areas than here in the UK of course, I’ve been turning my attention to tomato recipes. When tomatoes first appeared in Italy in the 1600s they weren’t adopted by peasants as a daily food because they weren’t…Continue reading here Tomato Recipes from …
Harvesting the Saffron of Provence in Cotignac
January 30, 2017
Jean Leclerq and his partner Sabine are a dedicated couple who own a special place hidden in the hills behind our little village of Cotignac. They have started our first “Safranière,” a small Saffron farm growing the most valuable spice on earth. We were lucky enough to join them one misty autumn morning to help …
Quick and Easy Seared Salmon with Tomato-Shallot Ragoût
October 17, 2018
Make this recipe for seared salmon one time, and it will become a "go-to" quick dinnertime meal for two (or more). The tomato, shallot, caper and olive ragoût is a savoury combination that is similar to a puttanesca pasta sauce.…
Tomato and Burrata Salad with A Provencal Lavender Twist
August 7, 2023
In reality, cooking with lavender isn’t au fait with the locals, but used with subtlety and restraint, the perfume of Provence pairs perfectly with the more traditional native ingredients – garlic, honey and oil – for this simple dressing. Serve with lots of bread for scooping up the juices. This Maison Mirabeau recipe makes for …
No Comment