Looking for some good food action while partying on the Las Vegas strip? Alex Stratta, chef of the Las Vegas restaurant “Alex,” was invited on the “Today” show to share this dish that'll make anyone feel like a high-roller. Here's the recipe:
Daurade Royal Provencal With Chickpea Fritters and Lobster Bell Pepper JusAlex Stratta
Serves 4
For the red pepper lobster sauce
Heat a heavy saucepot over a medium flame and add the olive oil. Heat until it begins to smoke lightly. Add the sliced garlic and brown lightly. Add the diced onions and peppers and sweat until lightly colored, add the thyme and deglaze with vermouth. Simmer and reduce to dry. Add the lobster stock and simmer over medium heat until liquid has reduced by two-thirds. Blend in a high-speed blender, and add 1 cup olive oil and lemon juice. Adjust seasoning and strain through a fine china cap. Reserve at room temperature.
For the ratatouille
Dice all of the vegetables to 1/8-inch size. Heat Teflon sauté pan over high heat and add the olive oil. Cook all of the vegetables in smoking hot oil, one at a time until lightly caramelized. Drain into a colander and chill. Once chilled, mix all of the vegetables together with the tomato sauce, capers, olive slices and the basil. Check seasoning, and reserve chilled until needed.
For the basil sauce
Blend the basil at high speed with the oil, and strain through a colander with cheese cloth.
For the chickpea fritters
Bring the milk and butter to a boil over medium heat. Add the toasted seeds and season. Simmer for 15 minutes. While the milk is at a low boil, stir in the sifted chickpea flour in a slow and even stream. Whisk vigorously until smooth and homogenous. While still hot, pour out on a buttered cookie tray and smooth the surface with an offset spatula. Refrigerate for two hours and turn out on a clean cutting surface. Cut the dough with a sharp knife into 1/2-inch x 1-inch rectangles, and toss in the semolina flour until well coated.
Preheat the peanut oil to 375’F and lightly fry the fritters until golden brown and crispy.
For the garlic chips
Slice the garlic cloves very thin on a mandoline and place in cold milk in a pot. Bring to a boil and strain. Repeat process three times and drain well on paper towels. Spread the sliced garlic out to dry evenly. Heat a pot with the olive oil to 200°F and add the garlic chips. Slowly bring up the temperature and crisp to blond, not brown. Drain well and season with salt. Fry the basil leaves in the hot garlic oil and season, drain.
For the fish
Season the meat side of the fish (do not season the skin). Heat a heavy sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Sear the fish, skin side down, and add the butter. Flip fish over and roast in a 450ºF convection oven, basting frequently while it roasts. Remove the fish from the pan and place it on a warming rack.
Presenting the dish
Sauté the ratatouille vegetables quickly in olive oil and cover the skin side of the fish with a thin, even layer of the vegetable mix. Sauce a plate with the warm lobster sauce and place the fish on top. Garnish the top of the fish with the fried basil and garlic chips. Serve the fried chickpea fritters and the basil dipping sauce on the side.
9123363604813613239804extra virgin olive oil2tablespoon2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oilgarlic1head1 head of garlicmaui onions2 Maui onions, dicedred bell peppers1010 red bell peppers, dicedthyme2tablespoon2 tablespoons fresh thymedry white vermouth2cup2 cups dry white vermouthrich lobster stock1gallon1 gallon rich lobster stock (see recipe below)extra virgin olive oil1cup1 cup extra virgin olive oillemon juice1tablespoon1 tablespoon fresh lemon juicesalt and pepperSalt and pepper to tastered bell peppers1cup1 cup red bell peppersyellow bell peppers1cup1 cup yellow bell peppersmaui onion1cup1 cup Maui onionzucchini1cup1 cup zucchinieggplant1cup1 cup eggplantextra virgin olive oil4tablespoon4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oilgarlic6clove6 cloves of garlic, finely choppedtomato sauce3tablespoon3 tablespoons fresh tomato saucecapers2tablespoon2 tablespoons capers (in salt)taggiasca olives2tablespoon2 tablespoons taggiasca olives, pitted and slicedbasil leaves2tablespoon2 tablespoons fresh basil leavesthymeBouquet of fresh thymebay leaves22 bay leaveswhite raisins 2tablespoon2 tablespoons white raisins (soaked in red wine vinegar)salt and pepperSalt and pepper to tastebasil leaves4cup4 cups basil leavesextra virgin olive oil1cup1 cup extra virgin olive oillon milk0.5gallon1/2 gallon milkbutter0.5pound1/2 pound buttertoasted anise seed1tablespoon1 tablespoon toasted anise seedchickpea flour12ounce12 ounces chickpea floursemolinaSemolina to dustsalt and pepperSalt and pepper to tastegarlic2head2 heads of garlic (peeled into cloves) milk1quart1 quart whole milkolive oil2quart2 quarts olive oil (for frying)basil leaves1212 basil leavessaltSalt to tastedaurade filets44 filets of daurade, skin onolive oil1tablespoon1 tablespoon olive oilbutter1tablespoon1 tablespoon butterthyme1 branch of thymegarlic clove11 garlic clovesalt and pepperSalt and pepper to taste