A Simple and Elegant Group Dinner

When you mix good food, great conversation and a group of friends, wonderful things can happen. You don't have to be a michelan star chef to prepare an elegant yet simple dinne as you can see from this classic recipe, courtesy Daniel Boulud.

SPICY SEA BASS WITH OLIVE CRUSHED POTATOES
Daniel's Dish: Entertaining at Home with a Four Star Chef, Daniel Boulud, Filipacchi Publishing, 2003

(Makes 4 servings)

Ingredients:

1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup quartered, pitted Niçoise olives
1/4 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
4 teaspoons capers, drained
1/2 teaspoon piment d'Espelette or 1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Four 6-ounce black sea bass, flounder, grouper, or snapper fillets
1 tablespoon minced chives or scallions
1 lemon, cut in wedges

Instructions:

1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F.

2. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet and bake until very tender, 40 to 50 minutes. Peel the potatoes while still warm and transfer to a bowl. Using a fork, coarsely crush the potatoes with 2 tablespoons of the butter, 2 tablespoons of the oil and half each of the olives, parsley, lemon zest and juice, capers, and piment d'espelette. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a large serving platter. Set aside and keep warm.

3. Warm the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Season the fish fillets with salt and pepper. Slip the fillets into the pan, skin side down, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the fillets over, add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, and continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes (if the fillets are very thick, cover the pan with a lid while cooking the second side.) Arrange the fillets on top of the potatoes and keep warm. Toss the remaining olives, parsley, lemon zest and juice, capers, piment d'espelette and chives along with the pan juices, and season with salt and pepper.

4. Spoon the olive mixture over the fish, garnish with the lemon wedges, and serve immediately.

Wine Pairing:
A medium-bodied California Sauvignon Blanc, which tends to be a creamy yet zesty, seems a perfect choice. Westerly Vineyards in the Santa Ynez Valley, for instance, will stand up to this intricate dish without stealing the show.