INGREDIENTS
For the salad:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 x bulb fennel, finely sliced
2 x small shallots, finely chopped
1 x large clove garlic, ground
2 x Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes
1 x bunch chives, finely chopped
3 x whites of spring onions
Salt and pepper
For the salsa:
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 x sprigs rosemary, finely chopped
3 x green tips of spring onions, chopped
1 x bunch flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
1 tbsp lemon juice
½ tsp sugar
3 x drops Tabasco sauce
For the sea bass:
1 x 255g wild bass fillet
570ml fish stock
2 tbsp pastis
100ml white wine
1 x small bunch parsley stalks
3 x rosemary stalks
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 x pinch salt
1 x lemon wedge
Recipe continues
METHOD
For the salad:
Heat the olive oil in a large pan. Add the fennel and fry until nut brown in colour. Remove from heat and sprinkle over the shallots and garlic to cook in the residual heat.
Bring the potatoes to the boil in salted water, cook for 7 minutes.
Put the chives and spring onion whites into a large bowl, sprinkle over the fried fennel, shallots and garlic. Place back onto the hob over a very low heat and soften gently for 2-3 minutes.
Strain off the potatoes. Whilst hot, pour over the fennel, garlic and shallots. Swirl around the pan and add this mixture to the chives. Finish with a pinch of salt and pepper.
For the salsa:
Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and blitz for 1 minute. Place to one side to serve.
For the seabass:
Place all the ingredients except the fish in a pan and bring to the boil. Place the sea bass fillet into the liquid, and turn the flame to the lowest possible heat. Cook for 4-5 minutes, turning halfway through.
Serve the potatoes and the fennel on the base of the plate. Top with the bass skin side up. Finish with the salsa.