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Crab-and-Potato-crusted Ono with Spinach and Bacon

Roy Yamaguchi
Sauteed ono fillets topped with mashed potatoes with crabmeat, and served over creamed spinach and blanched carrots, then garnished with basil and chopped bacon
Print Recipe
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • ½ cup warmed mashed potatoes
  • ½ cup lump crabmeat, picked over for shells
  • 1 T. julienned fresh basil
  • to taste salt
  • to taste freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 7-oz. ono fillets
  • 1 T. canola oil
  • 3 slices bacon
  • 1 t. minced shallot
  • 1 t. minced garlic
  • 12 oz. washed and steamed spinach
  • 1 c. heavy cream
  • to taste salt
  • to taste freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 carrots, peeled, thinly sliced (or cut into ribbons with a vegetable peeler), and blanched
  • 4-12 fresh basil leaves for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Put the mashed potatoes in a bowl.
  • Add the crabmeat, julienned basil, and salt, and pepper to taste.
  • Stir potato mixture thoroughly to combine.
  • Spread the potato mixture on one side of each ono fillet to form a crust.
  • Heat the oil in a heavy nonstick saute pan or skillet over medium heat.
  • Add the ono, crust side down, and saute for 3 mins. until the crust turns golden brown.
  • Turn the fillet over and saute for 2 mins. longer, or until opaque throughout.
  • Heat a separate dry, heavy saute pan or skillet over medium heat for 2 mins.
  • Add the bacon and saute for 4-5 mins. until crisp.
  • Remove and mince the bacon; set aside.
  • Drain off all but 1 T. of the bacon fat and increase the heat to medium-high.
  • Add the shallot and garlic to the bacon fat.
  • Immediately add the spinach and cook until it begins to wilt.
  • Transfer spinach mixture to a colander and press with the back of a wooden spoon to release excess moisture.
  • Chop the spinach mixture and set aside.
  • Pour the cream into a sauce pan and bring to a boil.
  • Cook to reduce the cream by about two-thirds or until thickened and paste-like.
  • Add the spinach to the cream and cook for about 1 min.
  • Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Set aside and keep warm.
  • In the center of warmed serving plates, arrange the blanched carrots and top with creamed spinach.
  • Place the crusted ono on top of the spinach.
  • Garnish the ono with the bacon and basil.

Notes

To thinly slice the carrots, I used a vegetable peeler and simply made ribbons; these blanched very quickly in boiling water.
For non-fish-eating guests, I set aside some of the mashed potatoes and withheld adding the crabmeat.  I used these crab-free mashed potatoes to top chicken breasts that I had pounded a bit to thin; then I cooked (and served)  them the same way as the ono fillets.