Striped Bass and Littleneck Clams with Braised Lily Bulbs and Chamomile Champagne Emulsion
By Chef Colby Garrelts, Bluestem, Kansas City, MO

Chef Participant: Cooking for Solutions Conference 2006

Serves: 4

Ingredients: (use organic when possible)
4 (5-oz. portions) Striped Bass*
16 Littleneck Clams*
9 Whole Shallots
8 Whole Cippolinis
8 Whole Green Onions
4 Baby Fennel Bulbs (halved)
1 bunch Italian parsley (finely minced)
10 sm. Garlic Cloves
2 cup Champagne
2 cup fish fumet
2 tbls. Loose Leaf Chamomile Tea
2 tbls. Creme Fraiche
1/4 lb. + 3 tbls. Butter
1 cup +2 tbls. Olive Oil
2 tspn. Grape Seed Oil
TT Salt and Pepper

Procedure:
1. For the clams: Mince one shallot and one garlic clove separately. In a small heavy-bottom pot, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil on high heat; add minced shallot and saute for a quick moment. Add garlic, clams and 1/2 cup of champagne and cover immediately. Turn to medium heat and steam clams until they are completely open. In a small metal bowl over an ice bath, pour out clam juice and champagne. Remove clams from their shells and place in the liquid. Discard shells. Finely mince parsley and reserve. Warm and add parsley prior to serving.

2. For the fish: Season both sides of the fish with salt and pepper and saute in grape seed oil in a very hot pan for 1-2 minutes on each side or until just cooked.

3. For the cippolinis, shallots, green onions and fennel: In a small heavy-bottom pot, add 1 cup of olive oil and 1/4 lb. of butter. Add fennel, shallots, cippolinis, green onions and slowly braise at 200† F for about 45 minutes or until they are fork tender. (Cippolinis, shallots, and green onions are all lily bulbs.)

4. For the sauce: In a medium-size pot, bring 1-1/2 cups of champagne to a simmer and reduce by half. Remove from heat and add chamomile tea. Steep for 3 minutes and strain. Return liquid to the pot, add fish fumet and reduce by one quarter. Add the creme fraiche and season. Add 3 tablespoons of butter and froth with a hand-held blender prior to serving.

To Assemble:
In four large serving bowls, place 2 each of the shallots, cippolinis and green onions plus 2 fennel bulb halves. Spoon clams and parsley sauce around these ingredients. Place the fish in the center of the bowl and spoon champagne sauce on and around the fish.

*Seafood Watch recommends farmed or wild-caught striped bass from the U.S. and farmed littleneck clams from all sources.