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Sea bass makes an impressive meal, and its delicious flesh is moist, tender and sweet. Here it's stuffed with an exotic Moroccan-style fresh herb and spice mixture called chermoula, then braised on a bed of vegetables.
Ingredients:
- 1 whole sea bass, about 1kg, cleaned
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 small red chilli, deseeded
- 40g fresh coriander
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1⁄2 tsp ground cumin
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- juice of 1 lemon
- 175g fine green beans, halved
- 600g floury potatoes (such as Maris Piper), peeled
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 250g baby plum tomatoes
- 50g stoned black olives
- 300ml fish stock, hot
SERVES 4
PREPARATION TIME 20 minutes, plus at least 30 minutes marinating
COOKING TIME 50–60 minutes
Method:
1. Cut 5–6 deep, diagonal slashes in the flesh on each side of the fish. Place it in a wide, non-metallic dish.
2. Put the garlic, chilli, coriander, paprika, cumin, oil and lemon juice in a food processor and process until blended and finely chopped. Season to taste. Spread about half of this 'chermoula' inside the fish and into the slashes. Cover the fish and the remaining chermoula, and leave in the fridge for at least 30 minutes (or overnight).
3. Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas 6. Drop the beans into a pan of boiling water and blanch for 1 minute, then drain and refresh in cold water. Thinly slice the potatoes and spread in a shallow layer with the shallots in a wide, deep ovenproof dish. Scatter over the beans, tomatoes and olives.
4. Pour the stock over the vegetables and place the fish on top. Cover with foil and cook in the oven for 40–50 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.
5.Serve the fish with the vegetables, and the reserved chermoula as a sauce. |
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