Sea Bass over Crispy Potatoes and Braised Fennel

Today we headed to Crane Beach and I brought my fishing pole. Alas, the conditions did not seem right so I didn't bother giving it a try, opting instead to loll in some warm, shallow tide pools. I made up for it by stopping on the way home at Essex Seafood and bought a nice filet of striper.
This meal was plate-licking good!
The amounts below are for two people (myself and leftovers for me!)

First, braise the fennel.

1/2 large bulb of fennel (Stop & Shop called it "anise"), shaved 1/8" on a mandoline or cut thin.
2 Tb olive oil
2 Tb dry white wine
salt
pinch of chopped parsley

Heat a skillet (that you have a cover for) on high heat.
Once real hot, pour in 1 Tb olive oil. After a moment, put the fennel in. Cook for 5-7 minutes, trying not to stir too often, maybe once a minute. Let it brown well/carmelize yet don't burn it.
You may need to add more oil as it gets absorbed.
It helps to use tongs.
Turn the heat to low, then season with salt. Pour in a glug of wine and cover and steam until the wine is absorbed and the fennel is tender, 7-10 minutes.
Taste and season if needed, stir in parsley.

Meanwhile, keep the mandoline out (rinse it) and prepare the potatoes.

1 medium russet, peeled and sliced thin (1/8")
1 clove garlic, sliced paper-thin (and 1 more for the fish)

Preheat the oven (I used a toaster oven) at 425º.

Butter a baking dish (size you can layer potatoes 1-2 layers thick, overlapping them)

Toss potato slices (in baking dish is fine), with generous amounts of fresh ground pepper & salt, a TB of olive oil (don't measure), then arrange them in the dish and evenly distribute garlic slices.
Cook for 15 minutes, until potatoes are almost tender and starting to crisp around the edges of the dish.

Prepare the fish:
Season both sides with s & p. (Hopefully your bass is scaled, the skin is good to eat, too.)
In a small bowl, place the garlic slices and a squeeze of lemon (1 tsp or so) and equal amount of olive oil. Also toss in some chopped parsley. Use a fork to whisk it up a bit.

Place the filet over your cooked potatoes and drizzle the lemony oil over the top.

Bake for another 10 minutes (or 10 minutes per 1" of thickness).

Plate and serve! You may need to briefly reheat the fennel if you made it first, like I did.

Love how the lemon topping oozes into the potatoes and gives them a nice tang.
The fennel transforms from its original state so much, it becomes sweet.

Focaccia with Rosemary and Thyme & Olives

Recently made this for friends during our trip to VT. The slices were perfect for dipping into hummus! I found it practical to purchase disposable 15 1/2 X 10 1/2" aluminum pans (from the $1 store). The rosemary and thyme were, of course, fresh from the garden.

Courtesy of Baking Illustrated, by the Editors of Cook's Illustrated Magazine
Makes One 1 5 1/2 X 10 1/2-Inch Rectangle Or Two 8-Inch Rounds

Rapid-rise yeast reduces the preparation time by more than an hour. If you use an equal amount of regular active dry yeast instead, let the sponge in step 2 develop for 30 minutes rather than 20, and increase the first and second rises to 1 1/2 hours each.

DOUGH
• 1 medium baking potato (about 9 ounces), peeled and quartered
• 1 1/2 teaspoons rapid-rise yeast
• 3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for oiling bowl and pan
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt

TOPPING
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves (for half), 1 tsp thyme leaves (for other half) plus around 20 halved, pitted kalamata olives (snack on the extras)
• 3/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt (or 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt)


1. FOR THE DOUGH: Bring 1 quart water to boil in small saucepan; add potato and simmer until tender, about 25 minutes. Drain potato well; cool until it can be handled comfortably and put through fine disk on ricer or grate through large holes on box grater. Reserve 1 1/3 cups lightly packed potato.

2. Meanwhile, in large bowl of electric mixer or workbowl of food processor fitted with steel blade, mix or pulse yeast, 1/2 cup flour, and 1/2 cup warm water until combined. Cover tightly with plastic wrap (or put workbowl lid on) and set aside until bubbly, about 20 minutes. Add remaining dough ingredients, including reserved potato. If using mixer, fit with paddle attachment and mix on low speed until dough comes together. Switch to dough hook attachment and increase speed to medium; continue kneading until dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. For food processor, process until dough is smooth and elastic, about 40 seconds.

3. Transfer dough to lightly oiled bowl, turn to coat with oil, and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let rise in warm, draft-free area until dough is puffy and doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

4. With wet hands (to prevent sticking), press dough flat into generously oiled 15 1/2 x 10 1/2-inch jelly-roll pan. If the dough resists going into the corners (and it probably will), cover it with a damp cloth and let it relax for 15 minutes before trying to stretch again. Or, if making rounds, halve and flatten each piece of dough into 8-inch round on large (at least 18 inches long), generously oiled baking sheet. Either way, cover dough with lightly greased or oil-sprayed plastic wrap; let rise in warm, draft-free area until dough is pufly and doubled in volume, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

5. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees.With two wet fingers, dimple risen dough at regular intervals. The dimples (there should be about 2 dozen) should be deep enough to hold small pieces of topping, herbs, and/or pools of olive oil.

6. FOR THE TOPPING: Drizzle dough with oil and sprinkle evenly with coarse salt, landing some in pools of oil. Cover half with chopped rosemary and other half, with thyme. On the half with thyme, insert an olive into each divot.

7. Bake until focaccia bottom(s) are golden brown and crisp, 23 to 25 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool slightly. Cut rectangular focaccia into squares or round focaccia into wedges; serve warm. (Focaccia can be kept on counter for several hours and reheated just before serving. Or, wrap cooled focaccia in plastic and then foil and freeze for up to 1 month; unwrap and defrost in 325-degree oven until soft, about 15 minutes.