A lovely, flavorful, and colorful sauce with an elusive perfume that is the result of the saffron-vinegar combination. This is suitable for any firm-fleshed fish fillet. If you make the variation with the potato salad, you’d pretty much have a one-dish meal here; bread and salad would be nice additions.

　　

Ingredients

4 servings

　　5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

　　1 1/2 to 2 pounds fillets of sea bass, red snapper, catfish, monkfish, wolffish, or other firm fillets

　　Flour for dredging

　　6 garlic cloves, peeled and lightly crushed

　　1 medium onion, chopped

　　1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into strips

　　About 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads

　　1/2 cup dry white wine or water

　　1 cup fish or chicken stock preferably homemade (page 161 or 160) or water

　　Salt and black pepper to taste

　　

Step 1

Put 3 tablespoons of the oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. A couple of minutes later, when the oil is hot (a pinch of flour will sizzle), dredge each fillet in the flour and add to the skillet. Cook until brown, turning, once, about 3 minutes per side. Remove the fillets and set aside. Let the pan cool a bit, then wipe it out.

　　

Step 2

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and add the garlic. Stir until fragrant, about 1 minute, then add the onion and bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion becomes translucent, about 5 minutes.

　　

Step 3

Add the saffron, wine, stock, and salt and pepper. Return the fish to the pan, cover, and adjust the heat so the mixture simmers. Cook until the fish is done, about 5 minutes more.

　　

Sea Bass with Saffron and Potatoes

Step 4

A more substantial dish: In step 2, add 1 pound potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks, along with the onions. After adding the wine and stock, bring to a boil, then simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Add the browned fish and finish as directed.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.