The recipe for this Aquanaria sea bass with skin crackling comes from Niki Pavanelli, chef at the MICHELIN-starred Il Bocconcino* restaurant, recently awarded its first MICHELIN Red Star. With extensive experience in some of Italy’s most prestigious restaurants, Niki’s dishes reflect his deep respect for traditional flavours and local Canarian ingredients, infused with his own innovative touch, resulting in contemporary cuisine that feels both familiar and new.
Aquanaria is a pioneering marine aquaculture company based in Spain, committed to sustainability. Their mission is to provide a sustainable alternative to wild sea bass, focusing exclusively on the breeding of large sea bass in the cold waters of Gran Canaria. This dedication has resulted in a product with exceptional gastronomic qualities and multiple culinary applications. As a result, Aquanaria sea bass can be found in the finest restaurants, both in Spain and abroad, with every part of the fish being used.
SKIN CRACKLING
The term chicharrón in Spanish has different meanings depending on the region. Typically, it refers to fatty cuts of pork, such as skin and dewlap, which are cooked together to form a compact block of meat. In other cases, it is the skin, fried to a crispy texture with its fat. What these versions have in common is the use of fatty pork, cooked and fried until it becomes crispy, a result of the cooking process, where chicharrón comes from the verb achicharrar (to char)
In this recipe, Niki draws inspiration from traditional pork chicharrón and creates a sea bass version using the skin of Aquanaria sea bass. The aim is to add an unexpected texture to the dish. To achieve this, first dehydrate the skin, which will provide an extra crispy finish when fried.
PREPARATION:
Aquanaria Sea Bass:
- Scale, clean, fillet, and remove the skin from the sea bass.
- Portion the sea bass.
- Stretch the skin and dehydrate for 48 hours.
- When ready to serve cook the sea bass at a low temperature first, then finish on the grill for a juicy texture.
- Fry the dehydrated skin until crispy, then season with salt.
Aquanaria Sea Bass Broth Foam:
- Make a rich broth with the sea bass bones head, vegetables, and herbs. Strain and set aside.
- When ready to serve mix the broth with the aerating agent, blend, season with salt, and transfer to the aerator until a thick foam forms.
Aquanaria Sea Bass Broth Foam:
- Make a rich broth with the sea bass bones head, vegetables, and herbs. Strain and set aside.
- When ready to serve mix the broth with the aerating agent, blend, season with salt, and transfer to the aerator until a thick foam forms.
Black Pig Demi-Glace:
- Prepare the demi-glace with black pig bones and meat, vegetables and aromatic herbs. Reduce until a syrupy texture is achieved.
Creamy Ancient Potato Purée:
- Peel and cube the potatoes, roast with shallots, leeks, and olive oil.
- Add milk and cook until the potatoes are tender and creamy.
- Remove from heat and blend using a Thermomix until a velvety texture is achieved. Keep warm until serving.
PLATING
Place the creamy ancient potatoes in the centre of the plate, topping with the sea bass. Arrange the crackling on one side and the sea bass broth foam on the other. Finish by pouring the black pig demi-glace around the dish at the table.
