The Global Kitchen

Mom sent me some new cookbooks for my birthday and one of them is The New Portuguese Table by David Leite.

I love the pictures and the recipes look like they're right up my alley! I knew I had to make something from it right away.

It's out of character for me to choose this recipe because I have never liked the taste of fennel, black licorice and anise. My mom used to buy Blackjack gum because she knew my brother and I would never take it.

I've been trying to get over some food phobias and I've never had fennel bulb-just seed. I didn't hate it but I didn't love it either. But I will continue to try recipes with fennel in the future.

I did, however, like the fish very much!

Sea Bass with Fennel and Orange
Robalo com funcho e laranja

3 oranges
1/2 small bulb of fennel, stalks removed, cored and sliced thin
1 1/4 cup chicken stock or broth
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch mixed with 3 tbs cold water
salt and fresh ground black pepper
4 6oz sea bass fillets
2 tbs oil (I used less)
1 small tomato peeled seeded and diced(I used canned)

Juice 2 oranges so you have 1/2 cup juice. Peel, segment and remove the membranes from other 2 oranges.

Combine orange juice and chicken broth in small sauce pan. Boil till reduced to 1 cup. Add fennel slices and cornstarch mixture and boil for another minute. Remove from heat.

Heat oil in non stick skillet over med-high heat. Season with salt and pepper and sear, pressing sown with spatula to prevent curling, until crispy. Flip and cook till opaque in the center.

Add tomato and orange segments to warm broth mixture and arrange over fish.