Whip up this crisp-skinned, creamy-fleshed bass dish in just 35 minutes. Serve with our punchy harissa mayo
INGREDIENT :
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 thyme sprig
2 sea bass fillets
½ lemon, juiced
For the braised courgettes
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
pinch of fennel seeds
1 red onion, finely sliced
pinch of dried red chilli
handful of cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
2 medium or 1 large courgette (about 200g), sliced 0.5cm thick
100ml white wine or sherry
1 lemon, juiced, plus extra wedges to serve
handful of dill, chopped
For the harissa mayo
4 tbsp good-quality, shop-bought mayonnaise
1 tbsp harissa, or more, to taste
RECIPE DIRECTION :
Stir the mayonnaise and harissa together and refrigerate until ready to use.
For the courgettes, heat the olive oil in a high-sided, non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Cook the fennel seeds, red onion and chilli with a pinch of salt for 5 mins until softened and fragrant. Add the cherry tomatoes, garlic and courgette, then season and cook down for a few mins. Pour in the wine, lemon juice and about 200ml water and simmer for 15-20 mins until the tomatoes and courgettes are collapsing. Bubble off any excess water. Stir through the dill and keep warm while you cook the sea bass. (Take your fish out of the fridge 20 mins before you cook it to bring it up to room temperature.)
Heat the olive oil with the thyme in a non-stick frying pan over a low-to-medium heat. Place the sea bass fillets skin-side down in the pan. Season the flesh-side of the fillets with salt and pepper. Cook gently for about 8 mins until the skin is crisp (it might spit during this time, so best to wear an apron), then add a small amount of lemon juice and baste the flesh of the fish in the warm oil and lemon for about 4 mins, or until opaque and cooked through.
Divide the vegetables between plates and top with the bass. Serve with the harissa mayo and lemon wedges.
