Grilled Fish Collar over Spinach with Warm Bacon - Apricot Vinagrette

The fish collars you are about to see were caught off La Jolla cove and belonged to a 25lb Sea Bass.

Fish Collars are delicious. And surprisingly there is little to no information about them on the internet. Anywhere. I found alot of questions about them, but little to no information, and hardly a recipe in sight.

We grilled these with salt, pepper, garlic, and olive oil. The meat is rich - and compelling. There is a texture of silk to it. A fatty delicious silk. I wish I could tell you more about it, but all I know is that a) they're gosh darn good and b) you can get them at any fish market - you just have to ask.

One of these collars, fed three people - no problem.

This recipe turned out to be really simple. And quite good.

You will need the following ingredients :

Serves 3.

Fish Collar - your choice (make a mental note that a 25 lb fish collar fed three people )

1 bag of pre washed spinach - raw.

5 pieces of bacon, crisped and chopped into a fine dice.

1 apricot, skin on, pit removed and finely diced

1/2 cup of olive oil

3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons of raw sugar

Season the collar with salt, pepper, olive oil and garlic to your desired taste.

Grill the fish collar until done. (about 20 minutes total)

Combine in a bowl:

olive oil

bacon

apricot ***

apple cider vinegar

*** my apricot wasnt very sweet yet, so I added the sugar - if your apricot is sweet - use your own palette to discern how much (if any ) sugar you will need.

Now this is the part that I hate. I detest microwaves, I do not use them usually and have not had one in my home for years. But when I came up with this dish the other night - I happened to be at a friends house, and they happened to have a microwave.

So I broke my own major rule of engagement - and I nuked it. For 30 seconds.

When that was done, I stirred it thoroughly to make sure everything had boogied together in a tasty way. Give a taste to make sure it is to your liking.

In a large bowl, toss the spinach leaves with a light coating of the warmed dressing. On each plate place a serving of the spinach.***

Remove the meat from the collar, and place in equal amounts on top of each serving of spinach.

Spoon the remainder of the dressing on top of the collar meat.

And serve!

*** Feel free to add any other elements to the spinach i.e; red onion, potatoes, whatever you have in your fridge, whatever is to your liking.

Quinn Farrar Wilson

Living Local San Diego