Preheat oven to 350 F.

COURTNEY PERRY/DMN

Ziziki's Pan-Seared Opah is a mild fish enhanced with béchamel sauce.

Season fish with salt and pepper, dip fillets into panko crumbs. Sauté in olive oil or butter until lightly golden on both sides. Remove fillets from pan and place in baking dish. Put dish in oven and bake for 5 minutes.

Return sauté pan to burner (without removing seasoned oil). Add artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes and shallots; lightly sauté. Add white wine, chicken or fish stock, and reduce by a quarter. After reduced, mix in béchamel sauce. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste.

Remove fish from oven, spoon on sauce and garnish with asparagus. Makes 4 servings.

PER SERVING (WITH SAUCE): Calories 449 (26% fat) Fat 13 g (5 g sat) Cholesterol 102 mg Sodium 617 mg Fiber 4 g Carbohydrates 41 g Protein 41 g

SOURCE: Costa Arabatzis, owner and chef of Ziziki's

Add butter to sauté pan. Once melted, add chopped onion and sauté. Be sure that the onion is allowed to smother and be fully cooked (translucent). There should be no browning since the finished sauce is a distinctly white color.

Add the flour to the onion and cook over low heat for several minutes.

Gradually add the milk to the roux (butter, onion, flour mixture). Use a whip or wooden spoon to gradually mix milk and roux. Simmer for 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. If roux seems too thick, add milk until roux is the consistency of heavy cream. Set aside. Makes about 1 cup.

SOURCE: Costa Arabatzis, owner and chef of Ziziki's