The 2016 Greenwich WINE + FOOD Festival presented by Serendipity in Greenwich, Connecticut hosted Chef Michel Nischan, CEO and Founder of Wholesome Wave as part of the 4-day festival. Chef Michel Nischan graciously shares a delectable taste from his cooking demonstration with his recipe for Seared Wild Striped Bass with Tomato Basil Fondue adapted from his cookbook, Sustainably Delicious, from the Wholesome Wave recipe box.
Greenwich WINE + Food Festival presented by Serendipity, which celebrated its sixth anniversary in 2016, is an annual 4-day celebration held in September in Greenwich, Connecticut where the emphasis is on wine and spirits, food, special dinners, music, and culinary and cocktail demonstrations from top industry professionals and celebrity chefs.
Chef Michel Nischan
When we saw that Chef Michel Nischan was one of the celebrity chefs giving a culinary demonstration at the 2016 Greenwich WINE + FOOD Festival, we knew that we wanted to make time in our day’s festival calendar to attend his demonstration and learn more from this engaging, funny, dedicated, and esteemed chef making waves in the sustainable food community.
We first met Chef Michel Nischan in 2012 while taking a class during the New York Culinary Experience hosted by New York magazine and The International Culinary Center, and were impressed with his culinary background and numerous awards, as well as his dedication to "healthy, sustainable, and local" philosophy. We had also dined at his (former) restaurant, The Dressing Room in Westport, Connecticut which he had owned with actor Paul Newman. Since then we have followed his career with great interest. (Cooking with Chef Michel Nischan at – New York Culinary Experience – The International Culinary Center)
Chef Michel Nischan’s Greenwich WINE + Food Festival
Demonstration Menu
Seared Wild Striped Bass with Tomato Basil Fondue
Chef Michel Nischan’s Tips for purchasing fresh fish, which he prefers to buy whole.
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1.
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Look for fish with clear eyes; they should be like clear marbles.
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2.
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The fish should have opaque flesh.
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3.
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Look for a deep vibrant burgundy blood line down the center of the fish.
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4.
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Touch the flesh of the fish and make sure it is firm to the touch which ensures that it was properly handled. If the flesh is not firm, it will not hold up as well during the cooking process.
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5.
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Smell the cavity of the fish, it should have a light smell of the sea; it should not smell "fishy".
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Cooking tips: To get a nice crispy skin on fillets, heavily salt the skin which will draw the water out during the cooking process. While cooking fish in a pan on the stove will provide a more even consistent heat and cooking process, when you want to grill fish, thoroughly clean the grill’s grates, and then oil the grates well before heating the grill and cooking the fish.
Chef Michel Nischan and cooked fish
Chef Michel Nischan made his recipe for Wild Striped Bass with Tomato Basil Fondue, a recipe with simple ingredients – using striped bass from Montauk, Long Island, New York, shallots, heirloom tomatoes, butter, grapeseed oil, sea salt and pepper, and fresh basil, and proved that it was quick and easy to make, yet very tasty. The butter, shallots, and heirloom tomatoes cook together to create a tasty sauce for the fish.
Shallots are one of his favorite all-time ingredients, and he likes to salt the shallots while they are in the pan to help draw out the juices and sweetness without needing to brown them.
He shared many tips and techniques including that he is a strong proponent of using grapeseed oil for cooking as it has a much higher "flash-point," defined as when the oil starts to "smoke" than olive oil, and it releases less free radicals which are harmful. He likes to sear and cook with grapeseed oil, then finish his recipe with extra virgin olive oil for taste.
Chef Michel Nischan graciously shares his recipe for Seared Wild Striped Bass with Tomato Basil Fondue, adapted from his cookbook, Sustainably Delicious, from the Wholesome Wave recipe box. He describes this recipe as "succulente" his word combining the English word "succulent" with the Spanish word for excellent (excelente) which he uses for things that are so good that he needs two languages to describe them. Having tried his Seared Wild Striped Bass with Tomato Basil Fondue after the demonstration, we concur that it was indeed "succulente!"
VIDEO:
(Watch the video of Chef Michel Nischan as he talks about Sustainable Food – https://youtu.be/vWdV3HkPqvA)
Seared Wild Striped Bass with Tomato Basil Fondue
6 servings
Ingredients
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0.25
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Cup
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Fresh Basil
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6
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6-ounces, each
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Striped Bass Fillets, skin-on
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2
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Tablespoons
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Grapeseed Oil
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0.25
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Cup
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Shallots, sliced
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1
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Tablespoon
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Unsalted Butter, room temperature
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4
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Heirloom Tomatoes, preferably, 2-3 varieties, about 2 pounds, cut into 1-inch cubes
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0.25
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Cup
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Unsalted Butter, cold, cut into half-inch cubes
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Sea Salt and Pepper, to taste
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Method: Season the fillets with sea salt and then heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the grapeseed oil and immediately add the fillets, skin side down. Lightly press each fillet to ensure that the skin makes contact with the hot pain. Cook for 3 – 5 minutes, or until the flesh nearest the bottom of the pan turns white and the skin browns.
Use a thin spatula to turn the fillets over. Cook about 4 – 5 minutes more or until the fillets are fully cooked. Remove from the pan and keep warm.
Add the sliced shallots to the pan with the room temperature butter. Sauté until soft and fragrant, but not browned.
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the tomato slices and cold butter. Cook at a simmer for 4 – 5 minutes, gently moving the ingredients around the pan with a wooden spoon to distribute the butter until the sauce comes together as a thickened mixture.
Presentation: To serve, spoon the fondue (tomato mixture) on a warm serving platter and set the fillets on top of the fondue.
Luxury Experience note: This recipe is easy to make, healthy, and extremely tasty!
Debra C. Argen and Chef Michel Nischan
Serendipity, please visit the website: www.SerendipitySocial.com/greenwich-wine-food
Greenwich WINE + FOOD Festival
Greenwich, Connecticut, United States
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About the Charities
Wholesome Wave, whose "mission is to improve access and affordability of fresh, healthy, locally-grown produce to historically underserved communities. Doing so creates economic viability through local food commerce that can rebuild our nation’s food system. Their vision is to help lead the way in developing a more vibrant and equitable food system for everyone by fostering stronger relationships between local and regional agriculture and under-served individuals from both urban and rural communities."
"Wholesome Wave is a national 501(c)3 organization dedicated to supporting small and midsize farms, and making fresh, healthy, locally grown fruits and vegetables available to all people, regardless of income. Wholesome Wave partners with farmers markets, community leaders, healthcare providers, like-minded nonprofits and government entities to implement programs that benefit both consumers in underserved communities and the farmers who provide for them."
To learn more about Wholesome Wave, please visit the website: www.WholesomeWave.org
Wholesome Wave
855 Main Street, Suite 910
Bridgeport, Connecticut 06604
United States
Telephone: +1-203.226.1112
Email: info@wholesomewave.org
Website: www.WholesomeWave.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/WholesomeWave
Wholesome Wave DC Office:
110 Maryland Ave. NE, Suite 209
Washington, District of Columbia 20002
United States
Wholesome Wave CA Office:
1900 Addison Street, Suite 350
Berkeley, California 94704
United States
"The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp was founded in 1988 by Paul Newman with one simple premise in mind, that every child, no matter their illness, could experience the transformational spirit and friendships that go hand in hand with camp. Paul Newman, while a successful actor, was also a visionary with the heart of a child. His personality, playfulness and mischievousness are infused within every corner of Camp, from the pirate flag he raised on the tree house to the days he spent on the lake fishing with campers. With unobtrusive expert medical care, it was Paul’s dream that Camp would provide seriously ill children with a fun-filled experience defined by compassion, laughter and acceptance."
"The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp is dedicated to providing a "different kind of healing" to seriously ill children and their families throughout the Northeast free of charge. It’s a community that celebrates the fun, friendship and spirit of childhood where every kid can "raise a little hell."
"To ensure that every child with a serious medical condition has the chance to experience the world of possibilities that camp has to offer. Through the generosity of others, The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp community provides this unique healing experience to kids in need and their families, including those who may not be able to come to Camp."
To learn more about The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, please visit the website: www.HoleintheWallGang.org
The Hole in the Wall Gang Fund
555 Long Wharf Drive
New Haven, Connecticut 06511
United States
Telephone: +1-203-772-0522
Fax: +1-203-782-1725
E-mail: info@holeinthewallgang.org
Website: www.HoleintheWallGang.org
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