Roasted Slashed Fillet Of Sea Bass Stuffed With Herbs Baked On Mushroom Potatoes With Salsa Verde A La Tony Blair Recipes

ROAST SEA BASS & VEGETABLE TRAYBAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Arrange the potato and pepper slices on a large non-stick baking tray. Drizzle over 1 tbsp oil and scatter with the rosemary, a pinch of salt and a good grinding of pepper. Toss everything together well and roast for 25 mins, turning over halfway through, until the potatoes are golden and crisp at the edges.
• Arrange the fish fillets on top and scatter over the olives. Place a couple of lemon slices on top of the fish and drizzle with the remaining oil. Roast for further 7-8 mins until the fish is cooked through. Serve scattered with basil leaves.

BAKED SEA BASS STUFFED WITH SHELLFISH

Steps:

• Set a rack in the upper third of the oven. Preheat it to 475 degrees. Soak the clams and mussels for 5 minutes in a large bowl of cold water. Scrub the shells using a stiff brush. Drain. Discard any shellfish that don't shut when tapped. Pull away fibers from the mussels.
• Put the clams, mussels and wine in a large pot, cover and set over high heat. Shake the pan occasionally and remove the shellfish as soon as their shells open. Shell the clams and mussels and place their meat in a bowl. Strain the juices through a paper-towel-lined fine sieve and into the bowl of shellfish. Let soak for 20 minutes.
• Transfer the shellfish to a large bowl. Set the juices aside. Pat the shrimp dry, chop theminto bite-size pieces and add to the bowl of shellfish along with the garlic, onion, parsley, lemon juice, olive oil and bread crumbs. Season all over with salt and pepper and toss gently.
• Line a baking sheet with 2 layers of foil, extending double the length of the pan. Pour some of the shellfish juices on the bottom of the pan and place the fish in the center. Season the inside of the fish with salt and pepper. Stuff it with the shellfish mixture. Moisten the skin side of the fish with some of the remaining shellfish juices. Fold the foil over the fish, crimping the edges to tightly seal it. In the upper third of the oven, roast the striped bass for about 40 to 45 minutes (or the small branzini for 15 to 20 minutes). Let rest for 10 minutes. Cut open the pouch. Remove the fins. Slice the fish across as you would a roast. Top each slice with some of the juices.

BAKED SEA BASS WITH LEMON & HERBS (WITH TARATOR SAUCE)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 230C/gas 8/fan210C. Pat the fish dry with kitchen paper, inside and out. Rub the skin with oil and season with salt and pepper. Lay three-quarters of the lemon slices on a heavy baking sheet and place the fish on top (see tip). Stuff the belly with the remaining lemon, the garlic and plenty of herbs, then season.
• Bake the fish for 30 minutes or until the flesh is opaque at its thickest part - slide a knife into the backbone area to heck.
• To serve, first gently peel the skin back, then lift off a chunk of the back fillet and a chunk of the belly to make one serving: each side should yield 2 portions. Use any lemon slices that are nicely brown, rather than jet-black, as a garnish.FOR THE TARATOR SAUCE
• Put the nuts in a food processor and whizz to a fine powder.Wet the bread, then squeeze out all the moisture. Crumble it into the nuts, add the garlic and whizz to combine thoroughly.
• Add the lemon juice, a pinch of salt and a good grinding of pepper. Start pouring the olive oil in through the feeder tube, in a steady, fine trickle. Once the oil is incorporated, the sauce will be very smooth but rather solid, so add enough water (or stock) to let the sauce down to a thick, creamy consistency.
• Finally, taste the sauce, adjust the seasoning and add a little more lemon juice if necessary.

HERB-ROASTED SEA BASS WITH SALSA VERDE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Lightly brush baking sheet with olive oil. Place fish fillets on baking sheet. Brush fish with olive oil; drizzle with lemon juice. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper, then herbs.
• Bake fish until just opaque in center, about 10 minutes. Transfer fish to plates. Spoon some Salsa Verde over fish. Pass remaining Salsa Verde separately.