Black Sea Bass with Baby Vegetables and Mushroom Brown-Butter Vinaigrette

Melt the butter in a medium skillet. Add the mushrooms and sauté over moderately high heat, tossing occasionally, until browned. Add the honey, soy sauce, lemon juice, vinegar and water. Simmer over moderately low heat for 30 minutes. Strain the mushroom mixture through a fine mesh sieve set over a bowl. Press on the solids to extract all of the liquid.

Prepare an ice water bath. Melt the salted butter in a small saucepan, then cook over moderate heat just until it begins to brown. Immediately dip the bottom of the saucepan in the ice bath to stop the cooking. Pour the brown butter into the mushroom vinaigrette and whisk until combined.

In a small dry skillet, combine the nuts and spices and toast over moderate heat until lightly browned. Transfer to a spice grinder and let cool. Grind to a medium grind.

In a medium saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the potatoes until just tender. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate, let cool slightly and peel. Cut each potato into 3 pieces. Add the fava beans to the salted water and blanch until just tender. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate and let cool slightly, then peel. Repeat with the pearl onions.

Cut each sea bass fillet into 3 equal pieces and season with salt and pepper. Dip each piece of fish into the cream (shake off any excess), followed by the spice mix and finally, the flour. Heat 1 tablespoon of grapeseed oil in a medium skillet. Working in batches, sauté the fish until crisp and cooked through; adding more oil as necessary. Transfer to a plate.

In a medium saucepan, combine the brown butter vinaigrette with the potatoes, fava beans and pearl onions. Cook over moderate heat until warmed through. Stir in the tomatoes and herbs and transfer to bowls. Top with the fish and serve.