Stuffed SeaBass Wrapped in Chard with Pomegranate-Hazelnut Vinaigrette

By DomesticMuse

Sea-bass filets are stuffed with a mixture of boursin cheese and crabmeat, wrapped in swiss chard leaves and roasted. They are topped with a pomegranate-hazelnut vinaigrette.

Ingredients

• For the vinaigrette:
• 8 large Swiss Chard leaves, preferably ruby or rainbow chard
• 4 6 oz. sea bass filets
• 1 med. beet
• 8 T softened boursin cheese
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1/8 c. fresh basil leaves
• 1 lg. shallot
• 4 0z. "crabmeat" (I used the fake crab flakes)
• 2 T freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano
• 1/2 t. Cholula or other hot sauce
• 1/4 t. cayenne pepper
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 c. pure pomegranate juice, such as Pom Wonderful
• juice of 1 fresh lime
• 1 T red wine vinegar
• 1 shallot
• 2 T fresh basil leaves, preferably purple basil
• 4 T extra virgin olive oil
• 4 T walnut oil Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 T. chopped toasted hazlenuts

Details

Servings 4
Adapted from domestickmuse.blogspot.com

Preparation

Step 1

First, roast the beet. Preheat the oven to 400F. Trim away any leaves, leaving 1" of stem, and wash the beet well. Rub with some vegetable oil and add salt and pepper. Wrap in foil and place on a baking sheet.
Bake for 30-35 min., or until the beet is easily pierced by a knife. When cool, remove from the foil and remove the beet skin gently with your fingers. Slice into paper-thin slices. (I used my food processor, fitted with the 2mm blade.)

To prepare the chard leaves for stuffing, remove the stems and reserve for another use. Dip the chard leaves in boiling water for 5-10 second to blanch, and drop into an ice water bath. Dry on kitchen towels. With a sharp paring knife, carefull pare down the thick ribs on the back side of the chard leaves so the leaves are of even thickness. Spread the leaves out and set aside.

To prepare the stuffing, place the boursin cheese, the lemon zest, the shallot (chopped), the basil leaves, hot sauce, cayenne, parmigiano-reggiano and the crab meat in bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process until smooth, and add salt and pepper to taste.

To prep the fillets: Preheat the oven to 400F. Spread the 4 filets on a work surface.
Season them on both sides with salt and pepper. Cover 2 of the filets with beet slices. Then add a generous layer of stuffing, and top the stuffing with more beet slices. Top with the remaining fish filets.Cut each of the two stuffed filets in half cross-wise, to make 4 stuffed pieces. Lay 2 chard leaves on the work surface to form an X. Place one of the stuffed filets on top of the chard leaves, and wrap tightly in the leaves.Repeat with the remaining filets.
Heat a large oven-proof skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 T olive oil. Add the chard packets and sear for 1 minute. Then place the skillet in the oven and roast the chard packets for 12-16 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the pomegranate vinagrette. Place the pomegranate juice, the lime juice, the basil, the red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper in a blender or food processor. Turn on the machine and add the walnut and olive oils slowly. Taste and correct seasoning as needed.

When the chard packets are done, serve drizzled with the pomegranate vinaigrette and sprinkle with chopped hazelnuts.