Sea bass with asparagus & Jersey Royals

Popular wild sea bass is a sustainable and delicious white fish – serve with crunchy greens and flavoursome new potatoes

  • Prep:25 mins
    Cook:25 mins
  • Serves 4
  • More effort

Nutrition per serving

  • kcal 555
  • fat 37g
  • saturates 6g
  • carbs 22g
  • sugars 4g
  • fibre 4g
  • protein 34g
  • salt 0.3g

Ingredients

  • 2 egg yolks
  • zest and juice ½ lemon, plus extra wedges to serve
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 250ml/ 9fl oz olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
  • 500g/ 1lb 2oz Jersey Royal potato
  • 500g/ 1lb 2oz asparagus, trimmed
  • small bunch chives, snipped
  • 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 thyme sprigs, leaves picked
  • 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 4 x 140g/5oz sea bass fillets

Method

  1. Put the egg yolks in a large bowl with a pinch of salt and the lemon zest and juice. Whisk to combine, then add the garlic and whisk again. Slowly add the oil, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens to a mayonnaise and all the oil is used. Taste and add salt, white pepper and additional lemon juice, if needed. Transfer to a small bowl, cover and chill until required.

  2. Put the potatoes in a medium-sized pan, cover with lightly salted water, put on the lid and bring to the boil. Remove lid and cook until tender. Drain, toss with a drizzle of oil, set aside and keep warm.

  3. Meanwhile, cook the asparagus in a large pan of boiling salted water for 3-5 mins until tender. Drain, then drizzle with oil and set aside to keep warm.

  4. For the sea bass, heat the grill, pour 2 tbsp of the oil into a frying pan set over a medium heat, add the thyme and garlic, and cook for 1-2 mins. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper into the pan, add the fish, skin-side up, cook for 2-3 mins, then remove from the heat. Drizzle with the remaining oil, then cook under the grill for about 4 mins until the skin blisters and the fish is cooked through. Keep the fish warm while you finish the veg.

  5. Thickly slice the potatoes and arrange a layer in the middle of each of 4 dinner plates. Scatter the asparagus over the potatoes, squeeze over some lemon juice and finish with a grind of black pepper. Top each plate with a fillet of sea bass, finishing with a dollop of mayonnaise and the snipped chives.

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