St. Francis Chermoula Marinated Sea Bass

 Chermoula:

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/2 teaspoon toasted cumin

• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika

• 1/2 teaspoon coriander

• Pinch of cayenne

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

• Juice of 1/2 lemon

• Salt & pepper

• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley

• 4–5 ounce filets of sea bass

 Garnet Yam Puree:

• 2 garnet yams, peeled and cubed small

• 1 yellow onion, diced small

• 1/2 bunch cilantro stems

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

 Crispy Chickpeas:

• Half of a 14.5 ounce can of chickpeas

• Salt

• Canola oil

Preparation

Sea Bass:
Combine first 6 ingredients together in a bowl, setting aside ¼ of it for the fish marinade. Add the marinade to the fish, cover and let marinate for a few hours before cooking. For the remaining ¾ of marinade, make the chermoula sauce by adding the chopped cilantro and parsley along with the lemon juice. Add salt and pepper to taste and set aside. Grill or sauté fish over medium-high heat until golden brown, about 10 minutes per side for medium to well-done.

Yams:
Add ¼ cup olive oil and onions to a pan and sauté until caramelized. Add yams to a pot and cover with enough water to submerge yam. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium and cook for 10-12 minutes or until yams are tender. Add cilantro stems and cook an additional 2 minutes. Drain the yams and cilantro stems and puree in a blender with the caramelized onions, slowly adding in the extra virgin olive oil. Puree until smooth and add salt and pepper to taste.

Crispy Chickpeas:
Drain half can of canned chickpeas well in a towel. Heat oil to 350°F in pan and fry chickpeas until dark, golden brown. Remove from oil, drain, and season with salt.

Assembly:
Place the yam puree on a plate and top with a fish filet and the herb-Chermoula sauce. Garnish with crispy chickpeas and serve with your favorite greens.