Robert Painter's Coconut Crusted Chilean Sea Bass With Sweet Plantain Compote

Ingredients

For the Sea Bass:
5 lbs. Chilean Sea Bass
14 oz. bag Baker's Angel Flake Coconut
5 Tbs. butter
5 Tbs. vegetable oil
Tempura batter (recipe below)
Black Bean and Corn Mango Salsa (recipe below)
Sweet Plantain Compote (recipe below)
For the Black Bean and Corn Mango Salsa
3-4 very ripe mangos

2 14.5 oz. cans of black beans
2 11 oz. yellow corn
1 large sweet onion
3 Jalapeno peppers (or to taste)
6 cloves of garlic (minced)
2 Tbs. cilantro (or to taste)
2 Tbs. lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste
For the Tempura Batter:
2 eggs
2 cups ice water
2 cups all purpose flour (sifted)
Sweet Plantain Compote
8 Tbs. butter
8 ripe plantains
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup dark rum

Yields:

Preparation

Cut Sea Bass into 1/2lb. pieces. Rinse Sea Bass with cold water, pat dry and set aside.

Prepare tempura batter and have coconut flakes ready in a large shallow dish or bowl.

Preheat a large pan with oil and butter so that it generously coat the bottom of the pan. As you continue to fry the fish you may need to add more oil and butter. Piece by piece, coat top and bottom of each piece of fish, dip into coconut and place in pan presentation side down. Watching the fish carefully, turn after the first side is golden brown and brown the other side. When both sides are golden brown remove from the pan and drain on a paper towel.

After all pieces of the fish are cooked place on a baking sheet and put in warm oven (250°) to keep warm and continue cooking.

Spoon mango salsa into small ramekin and pack full using the back of a spoon. Turn upside down on a large plate tapping the bottom until the salsa is on the plate still in the shape of the ramekin. Gently place a piece of fish on top of the salsa. Spoon Sweet Plantain Compote over the fish and serve.

For the Black Bean and Corn Mango Salsa: Cut mango and onion into 1/8 inch pieces and put into a large bowl. Add black beans, corn, jalapeno peppers, cilantro and lime juice and mix. Add salt and pepper to taste. Store in refrigerator until ready to use, stirring occasionally.

For the Tempura Batter: Beat eggs in a bowl. Add ice water in the bowl (be sure to use very cold water). Add sifted flour in the bowl and mix lightly. Do not over mix the batter. Use immediately.

For the Sweet Plantain Compote: Peel plantains and cut plantains into 1/4 inch cubes. Melt butter in a medium pan over low to medium heat (do not let butter brown). Sauté plantains for 2 minutes. Add brown sugar and stir, allowing to cook for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add dark rum. Return to heat and cook until alcohol is cooked out. Remove from heat and set aside.