INSTRUCTIONS:
*** Most of the work in making this is in the time to gather everything together. Otherwise, it is very easy.
*** Take a large pan and heat up the olive oil. Once it begins to get warm, add the red pearl onions and sliced mushrooms. After a few minutes – once the mix begins to wilt from cooking -- add the artichoke hearts (with some marinating liquid), sun dried tomatoes, olives, red-yellow pear tomatoes and simmer on medium heat for a good 10 minutes.
* Everything at this point should be soft and simmering well together. At this point you can add the cannellini beans, chicken sock, lemon juice and capers. Let the mix simmer for five minutes, then add the butter a few pieces at a time while gently stirring. This will give the butter a chance to emulsify on and around the vegetables.
* Add the parsley and chives at the end so they keep their vibrant color. Taste for seasoning and adjust as you see fit.
* Keep this mix on the side, as you now need to cook your fresh-caught (or bought) sea bass.
* Heat up a large, non-stick pan with a ¼-inch of whatever oil you like to cook with. Peanut or canola oil is fine for me.
* You will need to pull out your portioned fillets and also give a stir to your egg batter to check that the consistency is right. Sometimes the flour you have added will absorb more cream and egg than you wanted, so you can simply drizzle in a little bit of water to loosen the batter up.
* The oil should now be fairly hot (not smoking hot or this will burn) and you can now dip the sea bass fillet in the egg batter and smack the fillet on both sides of the bowl to remove any excess batter. Gently lay all four coated fillets in the pan and pan fry each side for 3 minutes or so. You do not want the pan to get too hot or it will burn. You are working to get a perfectly browned and crisped-up coating before you flip over the fish.
* Turn the fish over to cook the other side for another 3 minutes. Since you have thin slices, the fish will cook evenly and quickly.
* Prepare your four plates and spoon out the bean and vegetable mix, top with a sea bass fillet and I like to drizzle some of the pan sauce on the fish and then serve.

Steve Black