Striped Bass with Red Tomatillo Sauce

Striped Bass:

Ingredients:

peanut oil or canola oil for frying
2 cups rice flour
salt and freshly ground pepper
4 whole striped bass, about 1 pound each, scaled, gutted, rinsed and patted dry
1/2 – 3/4 cup water

Instructions:
Heat about 2 inches of oil in a high-sided skillet over medium heat to 360 degrees. Whisk together flour, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Whisk in enough water to make a batter the consistency of a crepe batter. When the oil has reached 360F, season each fish well on the inside and outside and dip into the batter, allowing any excess to run off.

Carefully place 2 whole fish in each pan and cook until golden brown on both sides. Serve each fish on a large platter, ladled with some of the Red Tomatillo Sauce* and arrange roasted new herb potatoes around the plate.

Recipe by Bobby Flay.

Red Tomatillo Sauce:
Ingredients:

8 tomatillos, husked and washed
5 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large red onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 habanero chile, coarsely chopped
3 Tbsp. New Mexican chiles, ground fine
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. honey
3 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions:

Preheat an oven to 375F. Place the tomatillos in a small roasting pan, toss with 2 Tbsp. of olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Roast the tomatillos until they are soft, about 20-25 minutes. Heat the remaining olive oil in a medium sauce pan and add the onions and cook until soft. Add the garlic and habanero and cook for 1 minute more. Add the 3 Tbsp. of finely ground New Mexican chile and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatillos, stir, and cook for another 10 minutes.

Transfer the mixture to a food processor, add the vinegar, honey and cilantro, and process until almost smooth. Season it with salt and pepper.

This sauce is tangy and spicy, and is great on chicken, fish or pork.