Ingredients 

(serves four)

1 whole sea bass (about 2kg), cleaned, filleted and cut into four

For the tomato fondue
1 small shallot, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
50ml olive oil
200g flesh of plum tomatoes
1 bouquet garni

For the shallot cream
400g shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
100g unsalted butter
300ml chicken stock

For the red wine jus
2 whole shallots, finely sliced
1 clove garlic, chopped
150g unsalted butter
1 bottle red wine
400ml ruby port
250ml fish stock
250ml veal stock
1 star anise
1 sprig thyme
50ml double cream
Salt

Garnish
Rösti and spinach

Method

To make the tomato fondue, sweat the shallot and garlic in the oil without colouring. Add the tomato flesh and bouquet garni, cover with a paper cartouche and cook slowly for 45 minutes to sweeten. Discard the bouquet garni and cool.

For the shallot cream, sweat the shallots in butter for five minutes. Add the chicken stock, cover with a paper cartouche and cook for a further 20 minutes on a low heat until soft. Purée and season.

For the red wine jus, sweat the shallot and garlic in 50g of the butter. Add red wine and port and reduce by two-thirds. Add stock, star anise and thyme, reduce again by two-thirds and pass through a fine chinois into a pan. Whisk in the remaining butter and cream. Season.

Make an incision in each sea bass portion to form a pocket, fill with tomato fondue and tie with butcher's twine. Colour on both sides then roast in the oven for four to five minutes. Serve on young spinach leaves and a potato rösti, with a cordon of red wine sauce and shallot cream.

Martin Wishart
Photo © Alan Donaldson