I have no idea who coined the "everything's better with bacon" phrase. But whoever made that phrase into a cliche is stinkin' awesome.

Chef Luis Negron, of Thornton Park's Mingos, would agree. He shook up the traditional ratatouille recipe by replacing eggplant with bacon.

"It changes the whole game, right then and there," he said.

He said the apple-smoked bacon make sea bass -- described as a white, buttery, flaky fish -- very happy.

"It's like a chameleon," he said. "It goes with whatever flavor profile that you can pair it with."

This entree also had a fabulous chardonnay cream sauce and tomatoes more poppable than Pringles.

Let's cook!

Mingos' Pan Seared Sea Bass Recipe

1 each 7 oz. fresh Chilean Sea Bass
5 oz. Apple wood smoked bacon ratatouille
2 oz. chardonnay sauce
1 oz. roasted tomato jam
2 springs yellow pea shoots

Method of preparation
Sea Bass

Directions
Season fish with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in large pan on MEDIUM-HIGH until oil faintly smokes; add fish. Turn over when fish changes color one-quarter of way up and seared side has turned paper bag-brown, 3 min.

Reduce heat to MEDIUM. Cook about 4 min, until internal temp reaches 120 degrees (check by inserting thermometer halfway into thickest part of fish) remove from heat when the internal temperature reaches 130 degrees.

INGREDIENTS:

3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
2 oz. bacon
salt to taste
2 zucchini, diced
1 large onion, diced
2 cups sliced leeks
2 oz. pear tomatoes, halved

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat medium-sized skillet
Add bacon and render in medium heat. Cook and add garlic until lightly browned. Cook and stir until the rest of ingredients until is soft, deglaze with fish stock and cook for about 10 minutes. Season with salt to taste.

Sauce

INGREDIENTS:

2 shallots, diced
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
2 oz. oak Chardonnay
salt to taste
1 lime, zest
3 peppercorns
3 oz. soft unsalted butter

DIRECTIONS:

Remove the sea bass from the pan, add all ingredients except the butter, lime zest and let reduce. Add butter and stir constantly until you reached a sauce consistency, finish with lime zest and salt pepper to taste.

For the tomatoes

INGREDIENTS:

10 each pear tomatoes, halved
1 oz. pesto
1/2 onion, diced
1 oz. fresh basil, chiffonade
1 oz. white balsamic vinegar
salt to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven 200 degrees.

In a mixing bowl mix tomatoes and pesto, add salt and pepper to taste, slow roast the tomatoes for about 6 hours. On a separate pan, cook onions and vinegar until onions are translucent, mixed all ingredients together and adjust seasoning.