Aromatic Braised Sea Bass with Fennel and Tomato Bouillon

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup finely diced fresh fennel
1/2 cup finely diced carrots
1/2 cup finely diced onions
1/2 cup finely diced celery
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 sachets (6 sprigs parsley, 1 sprig thyme, 1 bay leaf, 6 peppercorns)
1 1/4 cups dry white wine
2 tablespoons Pernod
3 cups rich chicken stock
2 cups fish stock
salt and pepper to taste
1 bay leaf
1 fennel bulb, cut into wedges
2 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced crosswise
6 6-ounce sea bass fillets
12 1/4-inch thick slices very ripe plum tomatoes
1/3 cup Nicoise olives, pitted
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh fennel fronds
2 tablespoons julienned fresh basil leaves

Preparation:

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add
the diced fennel, carrots, onions, celery, 1 teaspoon garlic,1 sachet
and cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes or until the
vegetables have sweat all of their liquid. Raise the heat and add 1/4
cup of white wine and the Pernod. Bring to a boil, then add 2 cups
chicken stock and 2 cups fish stock. Season to taste with salt and
pepper. Again bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 45
minutes or until the liquid is reduced by one half. Remove from the
heat and strain through a fine sieve. Place in the top half of a
double boiler over simmering water and keep warm.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the remaining chicken stock, white wine and sachet with 1
teaspoon garlic and the bay leaf in a small baking dish. Add the
fennel wedges and salt and pepper to taste. Place in the preheated
oven and roast 20 minutes or until the fennel is tender when pierced
with a knife point. Remove from the oven and set aside. Do not turn
the oven off.

Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add
the shallots and remaining garlic. Sauté for 4 minutes or until the
vegetable are soft. Add the reserved fennel broth and bring to a boil.
Remove from the heat and keep warm.

Lightly coat a large baking dish with remaining olive oil. Season each
of the fish fillets with salt and pepper. Place equal portions of the
braised fennel, tomato slices, olives, and thyme over the top of the
fish. Cover the entire pan and place in the preheated oven. Roast for
5 minutes or until the fish is coated through. Remove from the oven
and uncover. Place a filet in the center of each of 6 warm plates.
Garnish the filets with equal portions of the chopped fennel fonds and
basil. Spoon some of the fennel broth over the top of each fillet and
serve.


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