Ingredients
- 2 sea bass fillets, skin on, pin bones removed
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Sea salt
- 200 g fine green beans or samphire, to serve
For the sauce vierge
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 ripe tomatoes, deseeded and finely diced
- 1 small shallot, very finely chopped
- 1 tbsp capers, rinsed
- 8 black olives, finely chopped
- Zest and juice of ½ lemon
- 1 tsp coriander seeds, lightly crushed
- A small handful each of basil, chervil or parsley, and chives, finely chopped
Method
- Make the sauce: gently warm the olive oil with the coriander seeds in a small pan for 2 minutes (don't let it get hot). Take off the heat and stir in the tomatoes, shallot, capers, olives, lemon zest and juice. Leave to infuse while you cook the fish, then stir in the herbs just before serving.
- Prepare the fish: pat the skin of the fish very dry with kitchen paper and score it lightly 3 times. Season the skin with salt.
- Cook the fish: heat the olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Lay the fillets in skin-side down, pressing gently with a spatula for the first 30 seconds so they don't curl. Cook for 3–4 minutes, until the skin is crisp and golden and the flesh has turned opaque almost all the way up. Turn and cook for 30 seconds more.
- Cook the greens: steam the green beans or samphire for 2–3 minutes.
- Serve: serve the fish skin-side up on the greens, with the sauce vierge spooned around it.
Why it's good for you: Sea bass is a lean, delicate fish rich in protein, selenium and vitamin D, with some omega-3 fats. Sauce vierge ("virgin sauce") is never boiled, so the olive oil, tomatoes and herbs keep all their freshness and goodness. A light, elegant meal in under half an hour.
Good to know: Choose sea bass from a sustainable source, such as line-caught or responsibly farmed.
Food is one part of the whole picture
Read the thinking behind these recipes, or get a plan made just for you.