Striped Bass in Grape Leaves

Ingredients

• 1 16-ounce jar grape leaves
• 1 lemon to yield 1 tablespoon lemon zest, with juice squeezed out and reserved
• 1 cup instant couscous
• 4 red peppers
• 4 tablespoons olive oil for cooking and 1/2 cup for vinaigrette
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
• 1 tablespoon chopped mint
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
• 2 large scallions, chopped on diagonal ( 1/2 cup)
• Zest from 1/2 orange, minced (juice squeezed out and reserved)
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 2-pound striped bass fillet (or black bass, grouper, snapper or drum)
• ¾ cup dry white wine
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 tablespoons chopped shallots
• ½ cup pitted calamata olives
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• 1 sprig rosemary leaves, chopped
• 4 ounces feta cheese

• Nutritional Information

  • Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

    466 calories; 22 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 9 grams monounsaturated fat; 6 grams polyunsaturated fat; 35 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams dietary fiber; 8 grams sugars; 29 grams protein; 103 milligrams cholesterol; 353 milligrams sodium

  Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
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8 servings

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Blanch grape leaves in boiling water with half the lemon juice. Remove and drain.
3. Place the couscous in a bowl, and pour 1 cup boiling water over it. Set aside, covered, for about 5 minutes. Stir the grains, breaking up any lumps with your fingers.
4. Meanwhile, char the peppers over a barbecue grill or under a broiler. When they are warm enough to handle, run under cold water, and remove the blackened skin with a paring knife. Halve, and scrape out seeds. Cut each pepper half into 2 large triangles.
5. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and garlic in a saute pan over medium flame. Place the peppers, skin side down, in the pan, and cook gently for 15 minutes, or until tender.
6. Add to the couscous bowl the lemon zest, cilantro, mint, parsley, scallions, orange zest, 1 tablespoon olive oil and salt to taste.
7. Arrange the grape leaves, vein side up, in 1 layer, overlapping slightly to form a single sheet large enough to encase the fish. Spoon the couscous down the center of the grape leaves. Salt and pepper the fillet. Lay the fillet, skin side up, over the couscous. Gently encase the fillet and couscous with the grape leaves.
8. Brush 2 tablespoons of olive oil over a roasting pan large enough to hold the fish. Gently turn fish over, and place in the pan. Pour the wine over the fish, and add the 2 bay leaves to the pan. Cover with foil. Cook for 15 minutes, and baste under the foil with pan liquids. Remove foil, and cook another 10 minutes.
9. While fish is baking, make vinaigrette by combining in a bowl the shallots, olives, vinegar, rosemary, orange juice and remaining lemon juice. Whisk in 1/2 cup olive oil. Season to taste.
10. Remove fish to a platter. Let rest for 5 minutes. To serve, cut 8 portions crosswise with a sharp knife. Arrange each portion in the center of a plate. Garnish with pepper triangles. Spoon vinaigrette over, and crumble some feta cheese over the top.

1 hour 30 minutes