INGREDIENTS

(serves four) 

4 x 500g wild sea bass
Coarse sea salt
Ground white pepper
250ml extra virgin olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
3 bulbs of fennel, cut into batons
2 whole star anise
10 coriander seeds
1 clove of garlic
Juice of one lemon
Olive oil
4 red peppers, roasted, peeled and cut into batons
250g enoki mushrooms
11 cooked new potatoes, cut into halves
250g fine French beans

METHOD

Scale and trim the sea bass. Place on grilling tray, season with salt, ground pepper, 50ml olive oil per portion and balsamic vinegar.

Place the batons of fennel in a thick-bottomed saucepan with star anise, coriander seeds, garlic, seasoning and lemon juice and a little oil. Cook over a low heat for approximately 20 minutes then add the red pepper batons and the enoki mushrooms and cook until tender.

Grill sea bass for about eight minutes - cook it on one side only to get a crisp skin. Then put the confit of pepper and fennel onto the fish. Add the potatoes to the tray and cook for a further two minutes, add French beans and serve.

Nigel Morris