The wild sea bass is a sustainable Cornish fish caught locally to Watergate Bay. Brown shrimps or prawns provide a delicate saltiness and pancetta pieces add texture and smokiness to the soft tomatoes, the perfect dish for a dinner party at home with friends.
Serves four.
Prep time: 15 mins.
Cook time: 30 mins.
2kg Charlotte potatoes (24 new potatoes)
Knob of Butter
4 wild sea bass fillets
300g pancetta
10 tomatoes
6 tbsp olive oil
1 lemon
200g brown shrimps (already cooked)
Bunch of parsley
350g spinach
1. Start by cooking the Charlotte potatoes in a pan of cold water with a pinch of salt.
2. Bring the pan to a boil and simmer for 15 – 20 minutes, or until you can gently slide your knife through the potato.
3. Once cooked, allow the potatoes cool then top and tail and pan fry with a knob of butter to colour.
4. To cook the sea bass heat a frying pan until it is really hot then place the fillet skin side down and season. Make sure you keep the fillet skin side down allowing it to crisp.
5. While the sea bass is cooking you’ll see a change in colour, eventually, it should turn white. Prevent burning the fillet by controlling the heat.
6. Cut the pancetta (cured pork belly) into lardons (rectangles).
7. Place in a frying pan, without any oil and dry cook until crispy, remove and drain off all the excess fat.
8. To make the dressing cross the top of the tomatoes and remove the stalk and core.
9. Place the tomatoes in salted boiling water and allow them to boil for 20 seconds, remove and place straight into ice-cold water, this will stop the tomato cooking any further and the skin should start to peel off by itself.
10. Once the skin has come off remove the tomatoes from the water and dry on a cloth.
11. Cut into four segments, starting at the top of the tomato to give you four petals, now cut each petal into six.
12. In a bowl mix the 4 tbsp olive oil, lemon juice, brown shrimps, chopped parsley and tomato, all should be served at room temperature.
13. Finally, wilt the spinach with some olive oil using a hot pan, drain on a cloth or kitchen roll, squeezing out all the excess water.
To serve, place six Charlotte potatoes in a neat circle around the plate, adding some spinach to the middle. Position the fillet of sea bass on top of the spinach. Finish by dressing the fillet with the pancetta, brown shrimp and tomatoes.
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