Striped Bass with Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
- 4-5 fresh hot red peppers
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 3 medium onions, cut into slices
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 cup white vinegar
- salt
- freshly ground pepper
- lettuce leaves
- 3 lb. boiling potatoes, peeled & halved
- 1/2 lb. Spanish fresh cheese (or feta)
- 1-1/2 cups olive oil + 4 tbsp.
- 1 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 6 slices
- black olives (calamata preferred)
- 2 ears of corn
- 2 lb. striped bass fillets, cut into pieces
- flour
- 3 hard-boiled eggs
- 1 lb. cassava (yucca) root, peeled and cut into 6 slices
Instructions
In a small bowl, combine the finely chopped onion, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and salt and pepper to taste. Add a seeded and finely chopped fresh hot red or green pepper to the chopped onion mix. Set aside. Cook the potatoes in salted water until they are tender, but not mushy. Drain well and mash. Add 1 cup of the olive oil to the onion and lemon juice. Pour this dressing over the potatoes, mixing thoroughly. Make a mound of the potatoes in the center of a large round platter and keep warm, not hot. Boil the sweet potatoes and cassava in salted water for 20 minutes, or until tender. Drain and keep warm. Drop the corn into a large saucepan of boiling salted water and boil for 5 minutes. Cut each ear into 4 or 5 slices and put with the other vegetables. Season the flour with salt and pepper. Dredge the fish pieces in the seasoned flour, shaking to remove the excess. In a skillet heat the 4 tablespoons of olive oil and fry the pieces of fish until they are golden brown on both sides, about 3-4 minutes. Drain on paper towels and keep warm. Cut the peppers into 1/8-inch strips and put, with the sliced onions, into a saucepan of boiling water. Blanch for a few minutes then drain well. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of olive oil, the vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil over a low heat and cook, covered for 2 or 3 minutes. Hardboil 3 eggs and cut them in halves lengthwise. Pour the onion and pepper mixture over the potatoes. To serve, cut the mound into 3^r squares and place on lettuce leaves on individual plates. Place a fish fillet, slice of corn, slice of sweet potato, and a piece of cassava around the potatoes. Place an egg slice, a black olive, and a slice of cheese on top of the potatoes.