Make the soffrito: cut the fennel bulb in
half and remove the core. Cut the fennel into small pieces, place it in
a food processor, and finely mince.
In a saucepan, combine all of the ingredients. Place the pan over
medium heat and bring it to a simmer. When a simmer has been reached,
lower the temperature and allow the mixture to searcook. Stir the
mixture every couple of minutes to prevent it from sticking, allowing
the liquid to evaporate and the vegetables to caramelize, 30 to 40
minutes. When the mixture starts to caramelize, cook it for an
additional 5 minutes, until light brown in color. Remove the mixture
from heat and let it cool in the pan. When the mixture is cool, place it
in a container for later use. The soffrito can be frozen for up to 4
months.
Make the eggplant, baby squash, and tomatoes: fill a large,
heavy-bottomed pot with at least 4 inches of canola oil. Heat the canola
oil to 300ºF. As the oil heats, in a large bowl, mix 2 cups water with
the salt. Add the eggplant and soak for 10 minutes. Drain the eggplant
and pat it dry. Working in batches, add the eggplant to the hot oil and
cook it for 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove the eggplant from the
oil and drain it on paper towels to absorb any excess oil.
Place a large sauté pan over medium heat and add the olive oil,
squash, zucchini, and the fried eggplant. Cook for 3 minutes, until the
zucchini and the squash are soft on the outside but still have a firm
center. Lower the heat and add 3 tablespoons of water. Add the butter, 1
tablespoon at a time while stirring, until the butter emulsifies with
the water and appears creamy. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the
grape tomatoes and the basil. Season it with salt and white pepper to
taste.
Make the wreckfish: preheat the oven to 350ºF. Season the wreckfish
with salt and pepper. Place a large saucepan over medium-high heat and
add the olive oil. Sear the fish for 3 minutes on one side. Remove the
fish from the pan and drain it on paper towels. Pour out the excess oil
from pan and add the fish fumet or stock, soffrito, and chopped basil to
the pan. Place the wreckfish, seared-side-up, in the pan and transfer
it to the oven. Braise the fish for 6 minutes, until the fillets give
slightly when pressed with your finger.
Assemble the dish: divide the vegetables equally on to 4 plates. Top
each plate with a wreckfish fillet and a fried squash blossom
(optional).
Note: if wreckfish is unavailable, you can substitute snapper or striped bass when in season.
Recipe courtesy of James Beard
https://www.jamesbeard.org/recipes/braised-wreckfi...
