Sea Bass with Saffron and Fennel

And the holidays are approaching to an end.  I'm looking at my beautiful tan and I'm tearing up -- this will fade within a month when I go back to Scotland.  This sundress that I'm wearing -- can only be worn with a coat, tights and boots.  Sandals?  Won't even bother packing them.

But it's ok.  Look, dishes like this can be made back in Scotland too.  No sea bass? Try it with another white fish.

My lovely cousin went to Valencia for a week and brought me back some saffron.  Saffron and seafood are like butter and jam, cookies and milk, tomatoes and cheese -- they're one of those envide couples. 

Recipe from Cucina Italiana
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 sea bass
200g dry white wine
60g leeks, cut into rounds
40g carrots, cut into rounds
2 small white onions, thinly sliced
1 fennel bulb, leafy bits reserved and the bulb thinly sliced
½ garlic clove, minced
flour
a pinch of saffron
basil, chopped, for garnish
parsley, chopped, for garnish

Method
Clean the sea bass and cut it into 3cm rounds

Put the heads and the tails in a pot with the white wine, the leafy parts of the fennel and half of the leeks. Add half a cup of water and cook at high heat for about 10 minutes. Strain and reserve the liquid.

Add some oil in a deep pan, and when hot, add the rest f the leeks, the onions and the carrots. Cook for a couple of minutes before adding the minced garlic. Add the fish stock that was just made and the pinch of saffron. Add 200g of water and bring it to boil and let it cook until the liquid is reduced by half.

Put some flour on a plate and coat the fish in it. In a pan, add a bit of oil and a knob of butter. When hot, add the fish, flesh side down and cook for two minutes on each side.

Put the fish into the deep pan with the vegetables and cook for about 2 more minutes. Season and top with basil and parsley.