Yield: 1 Serving

Ingredients:

Gastrique:*

• 2 pounds sugar
• 2 (8.3-ounce) bottles black truffle vinegar
• 3 cups veal stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 Tablespoon black peppercorns
• 1 Tablespoon arrowroot
• 1 Tablespoon water

* Makes enough for 50 dishes

Fish and vegetables:

• 1 (6-ounce) sea bass fillet
• Salt and pepper
• 3 ounces green beans
• 1 ounce shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1 ounce oyster mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 2 cherry tomatoes
• 2 springs pea tendrils

Method:

For gastrique:
Caramelize the sugar by cooking it for 4½ to 5 minutes over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until it liquefies and turns dark brown. Pour the vinegar in the pan to deglaze. Add thyme, bay leaves, peppercorns and stock and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. In a small jar, combine the arrowroot with the water to make a slurry. Add the slurry to the sugar liquid and boil to thicken slightly.

For fish and vegetables:
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Season the sea bass with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat an ovenproof sauté pan on high heat and cook the fish for about 20 seconds. Place in the oven and finish cooking without turning the fish. Heat a separate sauté pan over medium-high heat. Season the green beans with salt and pepper and sauté until just tender. Remove to a separate plate. Return the pan to the heat and saute the mushrooms until brown. Season with salt and pepper. Place the fish on a serving plate, surround with sautéed vegetables, and garnish with cherry tomatoes and pea tendrils. Drizzle 2 ounces of gastrique over each plate.

Wine Pairing:
A toasty California Chardonnay like the Peter Michael 2001 Mon Plaisir.