This recipe for sea bass with marsh samphire, beet relish and spiced yellow pepper purée is by Kevin Snook and is taken from A Boy After The Sea
INGREDIENTS
(Serves four)
For the sea bass
- 4 x 225g boneless sea bass fillets, skin on, scaled and scored
- Pinch of sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2tbs olive oil
For the samphire
- 225g fresh marsh samphire
- 2tbs unsalted butter
- 1tbs lime juice
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Sea salt
For the beet relish
- 250g cooked whole beetroot, peeled and diced in small cubes
- 3tbs coarse grain mustard
- 1tbs honey
- 2tbs balsamic vinegar
For the spiced yellow pepper purée
- 4 yellow peppers
- ¾ tsp chilli powder
- 1tsp Dijon mustard
- 2tbs olive oil
To accompany
- 8 Jersey Royal baby potatoes
- 1 bunch of fresh English mint
- 1tsp sea salt
- 4 sprigs of coriander leaf
METHOD
Beet relish
Gently mix together the cooked diced beetroot, mustard, honey and vinegar. Set aside until ready to serve.
Spiced yellow pepper purée
Quarter the yellow peppers, discarding the stems, seeds and ribs. Brush the pepper pieces with olive oil and place them, skin side down, in a hot frying pan or on a hot griddle. Cook until dark brown.
Place them in a small bowl and cover them with plastic wrap, allowing them to steam for five minutes. Remove from the bowl and peel off the skin, then place in a blender with the chilli powder, mustard and olive oil. Purée, refrigerate and set aside until ready to use.
Samphire
Pick through the samphire, removing the roots and any tough stems. Wash and rinse thoroughly, to remove any grit or sand. Put into a bowl of boiling salted water for 2-3 minutes, strain and add the butter, lime juice and black pepper. Toss and place on a warm plate in preparation for serving.
Jersey potatoes
Cook the potatoes in salted water with the mint for approximately 15 minutes. Keep whole to retain the heat and just before serving slice in half.
Sea bass
Preheat the grill to a high temperature. Brush the sea bass fillets with olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Grill the fish, skin side down for 3-4 minutes, then turn and cook for 1 minute, allowing it to stay moist.
Finishing and presentation
Arrange the samphire and the potatoes in the centre of the serving plates. Place the sea bass on top and garnish with the coriander leaf. Add the beet relish on one side and spoon on some yellow pepper purée, to the other side.