The white beans in this dish are whipped to a pillowy consistency, flavored with olive oil that’s infused with garlic and fresh thyme, then topped with seared sea bass. It is elegant in its simplicity, the sort of dish you might find in a fine restaurant in the South of France, home to both olive oil and Mediterranean fish. For a final dash of style and texture, the finished dish is garnished with a tangle of frisée.
Ingredients
- Scant ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
- 6 fresh thyme sprigs
- ½ pound Royal Corona or other large, meaty white bean, cooked with broth reserved
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 sea bass fillets, each about 5 to 6 ounces and ¾ - to 1-inch thick
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 head frisee, pale yellow inner leaves only, washed and dried
- Slivered chives, for garnish
Preparation
FOR THE BEANS
In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, warm a scant ¼ cup olive oil with garlic and thyme. Reduce heat to medium; simmer for 5 minutes then discard thyme.
In the bowl of a food processor, combine beans, garlic and herb-infused olive oil and process until smooth. (Alternately, puree ingredients using a hand mixer or even a potato masher for a more rustic effect.) Add salt and pepper, and process again. Taste and adjust seasoning, as desired. The puree should be creamy but not soupy. If it seems too thick, add a little reserved bean broth. Keep bean puree warm while preparing fish.
FOR THE FISH
In a large bowl, sprinkle fillets with salt and pepper, turning several times to coat. Set aside.
In a skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter and olive oil until the mixture foams. Add the fish and cook until the bottom surfaces are golden and the lower parts of the fillets turn opaque, about 5 minutes. Turn and cook the other side until golden, another 4 minutes. The fish should now be entirely opaque and should easily flake with a fork.
TO PREPARE AND TO PLATE
Spoon a portion of hot, pureed beans onto four dinner plates or shallow rimmed bowls. Top the beans with a piece of fish. Drizzle a little olive oil around the edge of the beans, and place a tangle of frisee on top. Sprinkle with chives.
