Sea Bass and Samphire with a Sage Butter

This is one of those dishes that, I think, looks like you have gone to a lot more work that you actually did. It was on a normal Tuesday night and I wanted sea bass. But I wanted it 'restaurant style'. The first thing I did as I dropped my bag in the hall, was to go straight into the garden (it was raining again) and grabbed a handful of sage leaves. I needed that for the butter!

Samphire is a seaweed product that goes so perfectly with fish (both coming from the sea!). But ensure you rinse it well - I have found it to be a bit gritty when I buy it. And be careful on how much salt you add to the dish. I don't put any on the fish at all when cooking, as the seaweed has its natural salt which is enough for the whole dish.

The fish was pan fried and served with sage butter, crushed potatoes, steamed broccoli and steamed samphire. A king amongst dishes!

Ingredients:     (Serves 2)

30g butter, softened
about 6-8 sage leaves, chopped
400g charlotte (or similar) potatoes, skin on
knob of butter
2 sea bass fillets, skin on and de-boned
2 tbsp. olive oil
160g tenderstem broccoli
90g samphire

Method:

To make the sage butter, simply stir the chopped sage into the softened butter. Tip onto a piece of cling film and make a sausage shape, pushing the air out. Pop in the fridge until ready to serve dinner.

Half the potatoes and pop in boiling water for about 18 minutes (they are cooked when you lift one out with a sharp knife and it slides off the knife back into the water!) Drain and crush with a fork, adding a little olive oil or butter, if liked.

For the sea bass, Heat the 2 tbsp. oil in a frying pan and add the fish skin side down. You don't need to cut it. Cook on a medium/high heat for about 5 minutes (depending on the thickness of the fillet) and use a spoon to pour the hot oil over the flesh side of the fish. This lets the skin get beautifully crispy underneath while the top cooks. When the fish is white and firm it is ready.

Steam the broccoli for about 8 minutes and the samphire for 2 minutes.

Put the crushed potatoes in the middle of a serving plate. Add the vegetables to the sides and put the fish, skin side up, on top of the potatoes. Slice a round off the sage butter you made earlier, pop a lemon wedge on the plate and serve as it is. Perfect!

Summer Tagliatelle with a Garlic Crumb Topping

Sadly, here in London, it is so very far from summer. Autumn is well and truly here and the rain and is relentless with a chill in the air, forcing me to drag out my woolly hat. After a hectic day at work I needed cheering up so decided on a summery dish - I try to make most food seasonal but its okay occasionally! Particularly when its raining.

I had some courgettes and prosciutto and a pack of cherry tomatoes. Perfect for a Mediterranean style pasta dish to have with a glass of wine and dreams of sitting outside a café in Rome. 

Ingredients:      (Serves 2)

70g prosciutto, pulled into strips
180g cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 large courgette, cut into batons
1 small leek, sliced
handful frozen peas
160g tagliatelle nests
salt & pepper

1 large clove garlic, chopped finely
1 slice (ideally stale) bread

Method:

 In a large sauté pan add the halved tomatoes and the oil. Cook on a high heat for a minute to let them soften slightly and then add the leeks and prosciutto. Stir fry for 2 minutes and then add the courgettes with a grind of black pepper and a sprinkle of salt. Turn the heat to low and add the pasta to a large pan of boiling water. Cook the pasta to pack instructions (about 15 minutes) and drain, reserving about 1/4 cup of pasta water.

Add the peas to the vegetables and let cook for a further 2 minutes. Add the pasta to the pan along with a little of the reserved pasta water. The pasta water and the juice from the tomatoes will create a lovely sauce so nothing else needed.

To make the garlic crumb - set a small frying pan on the hob along with 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Crumble the bread into the pan and add the garlic. Cook on a high heat until golden.

Serve the pasta with the crunchy garlic topping and a fork. And a glass of dry white wine if liked!