There’s no lack of superior Italian dining opportunities in Westchester County, but it’s a rare treat to get those recipe gems that unveil the knowledge acquired over multiple generations. Handwritten on age-old scraps of paper and sometimes folded into the back of spine-damaged cookbooks, recipes are often connected to warm memories of family gatherings and years of trial and error.
Luckily for our readers, Westchester Magazine has obtained an old-school fisherman recipe from Captain Carl, father of Anthony DiMeglio, proprietor of Dobbs Ferry Lobster Guys. Keeping with tradition, DiMeglio says the sea bass recipe is often served with fresh pasta. “My father still rolls out the pasta dough on the kitchen table and cuts the strips with a pizza cutter,” he says.
The recipes are an extension of DiMeglio’s family-owned lobster business, which was born from sailing from Brooklyn’s Mill Basin more than 50 years ago. Anthony DiMeglio originally followed in his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps, supplying the freshest seafood to restaurants in and around New York City.
But when the COVID-19 pandemic created so many challenges for NYC restaurants and food suppliers, Anthony decided to bring his “catch” directly to the families and chefs of Westchester. The lobsters come straight from Anthony’s boat to the Dobbs Ferry Lobster Guys tanks; other seafood comes from boats and distributors he’s worked with for many years. The result is fresh, sustainably-caught seafood delivered or available at the location on 26 Main Street.
The Wild Caught Striped Bass ala Pizzaiola preparations take less than an hour. The combination of the wild-caught sea bass and flavorful ingredients makes the recipe worth revisiting. This recipe was tested and tried by community members — and given an enthusiastic thumbs-up. The citrus sweetness of the Gaeta olives and tart snap of the capers balance the sherry wine and buttery, briny sweetness of the striped bass and will have you going for seconds.
Wild Caught Striped Bass ala Pizzaiola
Course: EntreeCuisine: Seafood, ItalianDifficulty: Medium5
servings10
minutes30
minutes40
minutesThe citrus sweetness of the Gaeta olives and tart snap of the capers balance the sherry wine and buttery, briny sweetness of the striped bass.
Ingredients
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4 filets of wild-caught striped bass
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Flour
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½ cup of olive oil
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1 cup yellow onion, chopped
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⅓ stick of butter (about 2 ½ Tablespoons), softened
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½ cup of sherry wine
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1 cup chicken stock
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½ cup tomatoes, chopped
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1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
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1 teaspoon salt
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½ teaspoon black pepper
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Capers, to taste
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Gaeta olives, to taste
Directions
- Pat the fish filets dry, then cover both sides with flour.
- In a pan large enough for the filets, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
- Add the filets and brown on both sides (about 3 minutes each side).
- Remove the filets, placing them on a side plate.
- In the same oil sauté, add the chopped onions. Cook until translucent (about 4 minutes).
- Add the fish back to the pan and distribute the butter, sherry, chicken stock, chopped tomatoes, and parsley; salt and pepper.
- Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes. Plate and garnish dish with the capers and Gaeta olives.
- Serve warm.
