Help with Patagonian Toothfish

cazzy

It's been a awesome day, which is expected when you get a unexpected raise right before your new baby arrives.

With that, decided I'm celebrating by making my wife a nice dinner.  The menu for tonight is Chilean Sea Bass, homemade mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus.  Never done either but the potaters and the asparagus seem pretty straight forward.  Plan on brushing the asparagus with olive oil, then straight to the grill (direct).  After boiling the potatoes, just adding milk and butter and blending with a hand mixer.  Any suggestions welcome on that front.

My bigger concern is the sea bass.  One, it has skin on one side...do I remove that?  Any suggestions on seasoning?  I have raging river but if you've tried something that is awesome, let me know as I have several different types of seasoning.  I bought some cedar planks to grill these on as I assume they're pretty delicate.  What internal temp should I shoot for?  

Thanks guys!  It's going to be fun.

IrishDevl

Big fan of Chilean Seabass. Up there as one of my favorites. It is a fish that is tough to screw up, I would say if you want a light soy sauce and olive oil ten minutes before grill and if fresh take up at a medium rare. Let the fish do the talking - cant best it. I cook it often on the egg and love it.

cazzy

Do you normally cook directly on the grill or do you use a plank?

IrishDevl

I cook direct, just preference. If anything I would use something to hold the fish, but that would have to be heated. I am a big fan of a hot grill and a nice sort of slight chat up the fish. You will absolutely love it. Simply the best.

IrishDevl

I don't think plank is good for Chilean I my opinion. The burn from the geared is awesome. And it has such a nice fat content that it is tough to dry out.

Little Steven

Got parchement?

Well they had halibut on sale but I didn't like the look of it. $50 bucks later I'm leaving with 2 lbs of sea bass. Haven't had much luck grilling this so I did it in parchment.
Browned some butter and put in a few anchovy fillets

Smashed up the anchovies and put in some clam juice and chardonnay and reduced to a coat a spoon consistency.

Sauteed some carrot slices in butter

Added red bell pepper slices

Some lemon and the vegetables with some onion and slivered garlic

Put the sea bass in and topped with some of the butter sauce

Then some fresh tarragon, parsley, thyme and chives

Folded the parchment and oiled and on to the egg on a raised grid at 350*

Served with some sauteed kale, onion, garlic and mushrooms in chicken broth and steamed rice with clam juice, chardonnay, red bell peppers and butter.


This was good!

Steve

Howdy_Doody

L.S.

I'm not sure, but I've read that if you buy ingredients that are in-focus, they taste much better. 

cazzy

Little Steven said:

Got parchement?

Well they had halibut on sale but I didn't like the look of it. $50 bucks later I'm leaving with 2 lbs of sea bass. Haven't had much luck grilling this so I did it in parchment.
Browned some butter and put in a few anchovy fillets

Smashed up the anchovies and put in some clam juice and chardonnay and reduced to a coat a spoon consistency.

Sauteed some carrot slices in butter

Added red bell pepper slices

Some lemon and the vegetables with some onion and slivered garlic

Put the sea bass in and topped with some of the butter sauce

Then some fresh tarragon, parsley, thyme and chives

Folded the parchment and oiled and on to the egg on a raised grid at 350*

Served with some sauteed kale, onion, garlic and mushrooms in chicken broth and steamed rice with clam juice, chardonnay, red bell peppers and butter.


This was good!

Steve

Looks great Steve!  I have parchment, but I don't have most of the ingredients.  I do have lemon and maybe shrooms. lol

BigC

First and foremost, congrats on the baby on the way and on the raise!

Couple thoughts based on my experiences on what you're cooking:
I put asparagus in a grill basket...much easier to handle when cooking them direct...Just brush with EVOO, chopped garlic and season with S&P to taste. Crispy ones are the best!!!
On the potatoes...I leave skin on and mash with a manual hand "masher." Makes them a bit chunkier versus whipped smooth...Of course, it's all about preference. Have also added various cheeses, garlic and sour cream to them before mashing in the past, depending upon what protein I am complimenting.  Always season to taste with S&P.
Never cooked sea bass but recently did cedar planked salmon on BGE...direct on raised grid...skin side down on plank...seasoned with EVOO, chopped garlic, sea salt and cracked black pepper...425 for 25 mins for perfect medium (1 lb fillet)...not sure internal temp...just went by feel.
You may think about lemon butter if you have lemon, butter, shallots, and capers handy as well! The richness of the butter will definitely compliment the bass!
Just a couple of  thoughts for what its worth...Can't wait to see pics!

cazzy

BigC said:

First and foremost, congrats on the baby on the way and on the raise!

Couple thoughts based on my experiences on what you're cooking:
I put asparagus in a grill basket...much easier to handle when cooking them direct...Just brush with EVOO, chopped garlic and season with S&P to taste. Crispy ones are the best!!!
On the potatoes...I leave skin on and mash with a manual hand "masher." Makes them a bit chunkier versus whipped smooth...Of course, it's all about preference. Have also added various cheeses, garlic and sour cream to them before mashing in the past, depending upon what protein I am complimenting.  Always season to taste with S&P.
Never cooked sea bass but recently did cedar planked salmon on BGE...direct on raised grid...skin side down on plank...seasoned with EVOO, chopped garlic, sea salt and cracked black pepper...425 for 25 mins for perfect medium (1 lb fillet)...not sure internal temp...just went by feel.
You may think about lemon butter if you have lemon, butter, shallots, and capers handy as well! The richness of the butter will definitely compliment the bass!
Just a couple of  thoughts for what its worth...Can't wait to see pics!

Thanks BigC!  Definitely some great information here!

Little Steven

cazzy said:

show previous quotes

Little Steven said:

Got parchement?

Well they had halibut on sale but I didn't like the look of it. $50 bucks later I'm leaving with 2 lbs of sea bass. Haven't had much luck grilling this so I did it in parchment.
Browned some butter and put in a few anchovy fillets

Smashed up the anchovies and put in some clam juice and chardonnay and reduced to a coat a spoon consistency.

Sauteed some carrot slices in butter

Added red bell pepper slices

Some lemon and the vegetables with some onion and slivered garlic

Put the sea bass in and topped with some of the butter sauce

Then some fresh tarragon, parsley, thyme and chives

Folded the parchment and oiled and on to the egg on a raised grid at 350*

Served with some sauteed kale, onion, garlic and mushrooms in chicken broth and steamed rice with clam juice, chardonnay, red bell peppers and butter.


This was good!

Steve

Looks great Steve!  I have parchment, but I don't have most of the ingredients.  I do have lemon and maybe shrooms. lol

Doesn't really matter what you put in. Even some shallots, green onion, parsely etc. You can sub capers for the anchovies or do without. I never had any luck with grilling sea bass. If you actually have Chilean bass you don't want to take a chance of it falling apart on you. Tweev should be along shortly to **** about the bass anyway.

Little Steven

Howdy_Doody said:

L.S.

I'm not sure, but I've read that if you buy ingredients that are in-focus, they taste much better. 

I have a real sweet new camera now but can't upload pics

nolaegghead

I do like en papillote (parchment cooking). 

I'd not use a plank - this fish doesn't need smoke.  I'd cook to 125-135 internal temp, depending on if you like your fish MR or opaque.  Direct and flip or indirect and don't flip.  You can also put it in a baking pan with some water and cook direct (but it's really indirect because of the pan and water)

(sorry, pics are sea bass, not Chilean sea bass)

Little Steven

NOLA,

I've grilled real Chilean bass and lost most of it through the grid. I would at least use a pan as you show or a frogmat. Hate seeing $80 worth of fish drop on the lump

nolaegghead

Good point.  I'm usually not afraid to cook on the grate if it still has skin, but I admit I don't have any experience with this variety of sea bass. 

One thing I do know, is don't look at a picture of the fish before you sit down to eat it.  Not as ugly as the monk fish, but damn close.

Little Steven

So true! I had wolf fish in South Bend IN and it was the best fish I've ever tasted. Not so much to look at. They live on lobster and crab cause they can shatter the shells with their massive teeth

cazzy

nolaegghead said:

Good point.  I'm usually not afraid to cook on the grate if it still has skin, but I admit I don't have any experience with this variety of sea bass. 

One thing I do know, is don't look at a picture of the fish before you sit down to eat it.  Not as ugly as the monk fish, but damn close.

Haha...that is some good stuff!  I'll make sure not to do that.  

cazzy

Thanks for the help guys!  I definitely have some direction now.

travisstrick

Congrats, daddy. 

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Nice Caz! Congrats on the raise and the new kiddo. That is an awesome day. You deserve it.

Griffin

Congrats on the raise and new kid. Might be a little late, but I like to ass whipped cream cheese with chives to my taters. Can't help you much with the fish.

cazzy

travisstrick said:

Congrats, daddy. 

Thanks, son! :P

cazzy

Thanks Cen and Griff!  Much appreciated.

whipped cream cheese huh?  That sounds tasty!

The Cen-Tex Smoker

I do this fish all the time. It's my fave. I usually just do salt and pepper and grill direct. if the skin is on the side, I leave it, if not, I trim it or have the fishmonger trim it. 

Our favorite preparation is actually pan seared and then placed in a shallow bowl of Asian broth with mushrooms and scallions and some soba noodles. It's out of this world but TFJ makes that one. I love it simply grilled if that's what you are in the mood for. Just be super careful not to over do it at all. It gets very rubbery once past med rare. Get the Thermapen on high alert!

cazzy

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

I do this fish all the time. It's my fave. I usually just do salt and pepper and grill direct. if the skin is on the side, I leave it, if not, I trim it or have the fishmonger trim it. 

Our favorite preparation is actually pan seared and then placed in a shallow bowl of Asian broth with mushrooms and scallions and some soba noodles. It's out of this world but TFJ makes that one. I love it simply grilled if that's what you are in the mood for. Just be super careful not to over do it at all. It gets very rubbery once past med rare. Get the Thermapen on high alert!

what temp do you shoot for?

The Cen-Tex Smoker

cazzy said:

show previous quotes

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

I do this fish all the time. It's my fave. I usually just do salt and pepper and grill direct. if the skin is on the side, I leave it, if not, I trim it or have the fishmonger trim it. 

Our favorite preparation is actually pan seared and then placed in a shallow bowl of Asian broth with mushrooms and scallions and some soba noodles. It's out of this world but TFJ makes that one. I love it simply grilled if that's what you are in the mood for. Just be super careful not to over do it at all. It gets very rubbery once past med rare. Get the Thermapen on high alert!

what temp do you shoot for?

I do fish by feel. they are all a little different but 135 is where I would pull it to rest