Bartolotta`s Lake Park Bistro Sea Bass Fillet with Crisp Potato Crust Recipe

Peel and wash potatoes. Slice very thin from end to end to form round pieces. Season fish generously with salt and pepper and lay potato slices on skin side of fish overlapping them to look like big fish scales. Brush potato layer with melted clarified butter and lightly season potatoes. Cover and refrigerate about 30 minutes to 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bring wine, vermouth and shallots to boil in small saucepan. Boil until reduced to about 1 ounce and add cream. Boil mixture until lightly thickened. Remove from heat and whisk in butter pieces, a few at a time, adding more as they melt.

Apply only enough heat to completely incorporate all butter. Season, set aside and keep warm. (When using caviar, use salt sparingly as caviar will add its brininess to sauce.)

Place remaining clarified butter in a sauté pan that will hold 4 pieces of fish. Heat butter over high heat. Remove fish fillets from refrigerator and place them in hot butter, potato side down. Cook until potatoes are golden brown. Turn fillets over and transfer them to a sheet pan. Finish fillets in oven; about 5 minutes depending on thickness of fillets.

Steam cabbage in a large saucepan with about 2 ounces of water.

Season and divide between plates. Stir caviar (optional) into butter sauce. Place fish in center of cabbage. Divide sauce among plates and drizzle it around fish and into cabbage. Dress with chives.

Note: To clarify butter, melt butter over low heat in heavy saucepan without stirring. When the butter is completely melted, you will see a clear oily layer atop a milky later.

Slowly pour the clear liquid into a dish, leaving the milky layer in the saucepan. Discard the milky liquid. The clear liquid is the clarified butter.