I devised this sea bass recipe 20 years ago, long before there was a restaurant Daniel, long before anyone knew who I was. And I guess it's fair to say that it has become one of my signature dishes.
Of course, it was inspired by my predecessors, because that is how chefs learn and grow. So in that sense it's a legacy, a reminder of where I came from and what I learned along the way. In the early 1980s, I worked with Frédy Girardet at his famous eponymous restaurant in Switzerland. He was renowned for his red mullet decorated with "scales" made from thin slices of zucchini. Celebrated French chef Paul Bocuse later made a version with scales of potato slices.
I loved the combination of crispy potatoes and delicate fish, but I wanted to use sea bass, which is popular in America, and to cook it together with the potatoes. I was working at Le Cirque then, and the challenge was perfecting the timing so that I could properly sauté the thick fillet without burning the thin strips of potato. My idea was to use big Idaho baking potatoes, which don't exist in France. I sliced them with a mandoline, yielding long, narrow pieces shaped like bandages. The starch in the potato holds the slices together as they are wrapped around the fish.
Sea bass paupiette immediately became popular and received lots of attention. Over the years, I have updated and adapted the recipe, but the original version, served on a bed of sautéed leeks with a rich red-wine sauce, remains a favorite. We still make it by special request at Daniel. The dish challenged my ingenuity and connects me with my mentors, and it continues to inspire new approaches. After all, only rarely do any of us have the chance to create an instant classic.
Sea bass paupiette is a dish of contrasts—the soft, delicate fish against the crispy potato, and the intense, concentrated sauce paired with the creamy leeks—so finding a wine to go with it is not easy. Daniel Johnnes, wine director of Daniel Boulud's restaurants, recommends a light red from the Northern Rhône region, preferably a Côte-Rôtie, which is made with Syrah grapes fermented with a small percentage of Viognier. "It should be a good but not too powerful vintage, such as 2005," Johnnes adds. "The luxurious Guigal Côte-Rôtie Brune et Blonde 2005 [$60] has the deep, rich flavors to stand up to the sauce, yet its suave texture and elegance will not overpower the fish." Another good option is the Alain Graillot Crozes-Hermitage 2007 ($31) from the same area.
Click here to see the recipe for Sea Bass Paupiette.
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