- 1 ripe medium tomato
- 1 garlic clove, smashed
- 4 basil leaves
- 1 fresh thyme sprig
- 6 green olives, such as picholine, pitted and chopped
- 12 Niçoise olives, pitted and chopped
- 1 tablespoon drained capers
- 1 celery rib, peeled and diced
- 1/2 small fennel bulb, stalks discarded and bulb diced
- 1 small zucchini, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 small onion, diced
- About 2 cups extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 pinch saffron, crumbled
- 1 lemon, peel and pith cut off and lemon quartered and diced
- 6 (6-oz) pieces sea bass or striped bass fillet with skin, small bones removed
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives
- Coarse sea salt to taste
- Core tomato and cut a shallow X in bottom, then blanch in boiling water 10 seconds. Transfer with a slotted spoon to an ice bath to stop cooking. Keep water at a boil.
- Lift out tomato (reserve ice bath), then peel, seed, and dice. Put in a bowl with garlic, basil, thyme, olives, and capers.
- Blanch celery, fennel, and zucchini in boiling water 30 seconds, then drain and transfer to ice bath. When vegetables are chilled, drain and stir into tomato mixture.
- Cook bell peppers and onion in 2 tablespoons oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Cool to room temperature, then stir into vegetables along with saffron and enough remaining oil to cover (about 2 cups). Marinate, covered and chilled, 24 hours.
- Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in middle.
- Put fish, skin side up, in a shallow baking pan and pat dry. Sprinkle with sea salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, then drizzle with a little oil. Roast fish until just cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, gently warm half of vegetable mixture and stir in lemon. Serve fish topped with vegetables and sprinkled with chives and coarse sea salt.