Culture

V Cook—Chilean Sea Bass and a Hearty, Vegetable Soup

After a frenetic start to September—the launch of Beauty, the Spring Summer 2020 collection—it’s time for a bit of a recharge and what better way than with a healthy, nutritious meal? One of VB’s favourite dishes to ensure she’s got energy and also feeding her insides with rich proteins is Chilean Sea Bass. The fish is filled with Omega-3’s and the accompanying sauce adds heat and flavour without the calories. Also, the change in season prompts the need for something a tad soothing and VB’s vegetable soup provides vitamins and potassium to strengthen during the cooler months. Below, chef Andrea Rodriquez breaks it down.

VB Vegetable Soup:

Preparation time: 

Vegetable stock: 5 minutes

Butternut squash + Courgettes: 5 minutes

Cooking time:

Vegetable stock: 2-3 hours

Butternut squash: 40-60 minutes + 15 minutes to rest

Courgettes: 10-15 minutes

Ingredients (Serves 4 as a starter; 2 as a main):

For stock base (can be substituted with a gluten free vegetable stock cube):

4 litres of water

1 white onion, cut in half

1 brown onion, cut in half

1 red onion, cut in half

2 whole carrots (peeled)

3 celery stalks roughly chopped (including leaves)

1 whole leek (including the green part)

1/2 bulb of garlic cut in 1/2

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon of rock salt

Bring to a boil and leave to simmer for 2 hours

To add to stock:

5 small courgettes roughly cut (same size, approx. 500 grams)

1 roasted butternut squash (with coarse sea salt)

5 spring onions (slice with green part)

Dill (finely chopped, to taste)

Piment D’Espelette (red chili, thinly sliced)

While making the stock:

Roast squash for one hour at 225°C with coarse sea salt

Then scoop out flesh and discard seeds but keep the shape

Cut in bite-size cubes

In a 5-litre pot, add:

Spring onions

1.5 litres of vegetable stock

Bring to a boil

Add diced courgettes

Cook for 5 minutes

Take off fire

Remove 2 ladles of liquid (save to determine if you would like a thicker or runnier texture)

Blend everything together with 3 ice cubes in blender

Blend until smooth

Pour in bowl

To Garnish:

Diced roasted butternut squash

Add chopped dill and thinly sliced red chili pepper (to taste)

VB Chilean Sea Bass:

Preparation time: 15-20 minutes

Cooking time: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients (serves 1):

180 gram portion of Chilean Sea Bass (fresh)

1 banana leaf (to be used to bake)

For sauce:

2 tablespoons of soy sauce

1 whole, finely chopped red spring onion

1 clove of garlic (heart removed and then grated)

1 teaspoon of grated ginger

2 teaspoons of yuzu juice

5 grams of coriander (finely chopped)

1 whole red chili pepper with veins and seeds removed (cut in thin strips and chopped)

1 whole jalapeño pepper with veins and seeds removed (cut in thin strips and chopped)

Recipe:

Wrap portion of sea bass in banana leaf and bake for 15-20 minutes at 200°C

Inside leaf put:

1/2 spring onion slice

Thinly sliced pieces of red chili pepper

Thinly sliced pieces of jalapeño pepper

Thumb piece of fresh ginger, thinly sliced

Pinch of Japanese Seven Spice (to taste)

For sauce:

Mix ingredients

Add 1/4 teaspoon of Truvia (optional)