Sea bass dish has lot of ‘good’ fat

A: Tom Catherall was happy to share this recipe. You can find wood ear mushrooms and miso paste at Asian stores or specialty markets. Sea bass, because of its high fat content (it’s a lot of “good” fat, loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, which have been found to be beneficial to coronary health), is a very forgiving fish if overcooked. Because there is a concern that Chilean sea bass is being over-fished, some markets are not carrying it. If necessary, substitute halibut or cod, but watch carefully to make sure it doesn’t overcook. If you are watching your salt intake, you might want to cut the miso paste as it has a high sodium count.

Sea Bass in Miso Broth

4 (8-ounce) fresh Chilean sea bass fillets

1 cup soy sauce

Juice of 2 limes

2 tablespoons fresh ginger, chopped

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced

1 cup fresh wood ear mushrooms

1 cup fresh spinach

3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

1 carrot, roughly chopped

1 onion, roughly chopped

1 celery stalk, roughly chopped

1 cup white wine

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup light miso paste

1/2 cup radish sprouts

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Marinate the fish in soy sauce, lime juice and ginger for 15 minutes.

In a skillet over high heat, add 1 tablespoon oil. Saute shiitake and wood ear mushrooms until tender. Add spinach and cook until just wilted. Set aside.

In a large saucepan, over medium heat add 2 tablespoons oil. Add carrot, onion and celery and cook for 10 minutes. Add wine and chicken broth, increase heat to high and reduce by half, about 15 minutes. Strain liquid and return to pot. Bring to a boil, whisk in miso paste and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Season the fish with pepper. In an oven-proof saute pan over high heat, add 1 tablespoon oil (make sure pan is hot) and add fish. Sear for one minute per side. Place in oven for 6-8 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. Add mushrooms and spinach to broth. Place the broth in a shallow serving bowl. Place sea bass in broth and garnish with radish sprouts. Serves 4.

Per serving: 457 calories (percent of calories from fat, 36), 50 grams protein, 22 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 18 grams fat, 97 milligrams cholesterol, 1,468 milligrams sodium.