4 6-oz. fillets of Chilean seabass
12 baby artichokes
juice of 1 lemon
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 small carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
5 branches of fresh basil, separate leaves from stems and reserve all
1 cup Chardonnay
2 cups chicken stock
1 thick slice of bacon, diced
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 tsp. minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste

Prepare the Vegetables: Clean the baby artichokes by taking off the hard outer leaves. Quarter the artichokes and place them in a bowl of water along with the lemon juice. Set aside.

In a medium pot, heat 1 tsp. olive oil. Add the diced bacon and sauté until slightly browned. Add the carrot and onion and continue sautéing until the onion is transparent. Add the sliced garlic, artichoke (minus the water and lemon juice), thyme, basil stems and deglaze the pan with the wine. Reduce by half and add the chicken stock and cook for 5 minutes or until the artichokes are tender.

Prepare the Fish: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Season the fish with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tsp. olive oil in a medium non-stick pan over high heat. Brown fish on each side until it has a nice color. Put the fish on a tray in the oven for 5 minutes or until moist and tender.

Finish the Sauce: Blanch the basil leaves in boiling water for 5 seconds. Strain and plunge them immediately into ice water to stop the cooking process. Strain and set aside.

Place the remaining olive oil in a blender with the basil and minced garlic. Process until smooth. Add this puree to the hot artichoke barigoule just before serving to retain the vibrant green color. Add salt and pepper to taste.

To Serve: Divide the barigoule between 4 oversized pasta bowls, place roasted fish in the center.

Wine Match: This can be one of those main course with Champagne dishes, or try a full-bodied Chardonnay from Burgundy.