Crispy-Skinned Sea Bass with Crushed New Potatoes & Watercress

 

Summary

Preparation: 15mins
Cooking time: 25mins

Serves 4

 

Nutritional Info

400 calories
23g fat
4g saturated fat
23g protein
28g carbohydrate
no added sugar
0.3g salt
2.5g fibre

 

Recipe Source

Sainsburys Magazine

 

Comments

This is the sort of dish where you can happily make substitutes for both the fish and the vegetables, depending what looks best.

Wilted young spinach leaves, cooked-but-still-crunchy beans or a tumble of fresh rocket leaves would all taste terrific, as would sea bream or grey mullet.

Just alter the cooking time slightly according to the thickness of the fish. Serve with lemon wedges.

This recipe was first published in the Sainsburys Magazine in June 2005.

Ingredients

 

700g new potatoes, scraped
170g watercress, tough stalks discarded
4 x 100g skin-on sea bass fillets
4tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2tbsp balsamic vinegar or seasoned rice vinegar

 

3tbsp olive oil
Salt and black pepper

TO SERVE
Lemon wedges

Method

 

Boil the potatoes in a pan of salted water for 12-15mins until tender. Meanwhile, heat 1tbsp olive oil in a large heavy non-stick frying pan over a relatively high heat. Add the watercress and stir-fry for 30 seconds until wilted, then season lightly and tip onto a plate. Cover and keep warm.

Using the same pan, set over a high heat, add another tablespoon of olive oil. Place half of the fish, skin-side down, in the pan and fry for 2-4mins, then carefully turn using a fish slice or palette knife and cook for a further 2-4mins or until cooked through. Remove to a plate and keep warm while you cook the rest of the fish in the remainder of the olive oil.

When the potatoes are ready, drain in a colander, return to their pan and lightly crush into chunks with the back of a large fork. Pour over half of the extra virgin olive oil and season well.

Divide the potatoes and then the watercress between 4 warmed plates with the sea bass on top. Drizzle around the rest of the extra virgin olive oil and the vinegar and serve with the lemon wedges.