I love this meal for its simplicity, but what’s amazing is how exciting it tastes. The combination of flavours is something very special.
If you can find fresh garden peas this is a great use for them.
Feeds 2
Ingredients
3/4 cup peas (400g if still in their pods) or use frozen
2 medium courgettes
2x 175g fillets of sea bass
Butter
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp chopped mint
1 + 1/2 tbsp chopped parsley
1/2 lemon
Method:
If the peas are fresh, remove them from their pods and cook for 2 minutes in boiling salted water. Drain, rinse immediately with cold water, then leave to drain. If the peas are the good old-fashioned frozen kind, proceed as above but boil only until defrosted, not longer, as they have been partly cooked already.
Halve the courgettes and slice on the diagonal.
Heat a large cast iron skillet or frying pan over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add 1/2 tbsp olive oil and 1/2 tbsp butter, then tip in the courgette slices and stir to coat. Sprinkle over some salt and pepper, then leave to cook. Toss occasionally, but mostly just leave them to cook away and develop a nice golden colour.
Pat the fish dry with paper towel. Drizzle over a little olive oil and season both sides with salt and pepper.
Once the courgettes have begun to get golden, place a second frying pan (preferably nonstick) over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add 2 teaspoons of butter to the pan and a small drizzle of olive oil to stop the butter from burning. Place the fish in, skin-side down. Cook for 3 – 5 minutes depending on thickness, then flip and cook for a further 2-3 minutes on the other side.
Once you’ve flipped the fish, add the peas into the courgettes and cook for a final minute or two to warm through.
To serve, divide the peas and courgettes between two plates, then sprinkle the vegetables with all the chopped mint and most of the chopped parsley. Place the fish on top, then sprinkle over the remaining parsley and add a good squeeze of lemon over both the fish and the veg tumbling out the sides.
Caroline Feeds 