Sea Bass With Tomato, Gnocchi & Salsa Verde
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS:
For the broth:
2 sticks celery, finely chopped
2 banana shallots, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 ½ tsp chilli flakes
1 tin (400g) M&S Italian cherry tomatoes
200ml white wine
500ml fish stock, chilled
20 pitted black olives, finely chopped
1 fennel, quartered and finely sliced
200g samphire
1 tbsp chopped mint
1 tbsp chopped dill
For the gnocchi:
650g floury potatoes
2 medium eggs, beaten
200g plain flour (or less)
10g dill, finely chopped
25g butter
For the gnocchi
4 sprigs basil, torn
2 sprigs flat leaf parsley, chopped
2 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp capers, chopped
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 packs (180g each) M&S Mediterranean sea bass fillets
2 lemons, halved
METHOD:
1. To make the broth, heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Stir in the celery, shallots, garlic and chilli flakes. Cover and sweat for 3-4 minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes and wine and allow to simmer with the lid off for 5 minutes. Stir in the fish stock, olives and fennel. Season, reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the samphire, mint and dill for the final 4 minutes.
3. To make the gnocchi, put the potatoes (still in their skins) into a pan of salted boiling water and cook for 10-15 minutes, until tender. Drain and peel quickly. Pass through a sieve or a ricer into a bowl, then mix in the eggs, ⅔ of the flour and the dill. Stir, adding more flour, until the mixture comes together as a dough, working as little as possible so it doesn’t become tough.
4. Divide the dough into three equal pieces and roll each into a long log, dusting with a little flour if needed. Cut the logs into 3cm-long dumplings, pressing each dumpling against the back of a fork to create ridges.
5. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and cook the gnocchi in batches, simmering for about 2 minutes or until they rise to the surface, then drain. Melt the butter in a large frying pan and toss in the gnocchi, then remove from the heat.
6. For the salsa verde, mix all the ingredients in a bowl.
7. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Season the sea bass fillets and place them skin side down in the pan. Press down firmly with a fish slice and cook for 5 minutes, then flip and cook for a further 2 minutes on the flesh side.
8. To serve, spoon the broth into 4 warmed bowls. Dot some gnocchi around each, then top with the sea bass fillets. Add a spoonful of salsa verde and a lemon half to each, and sprinkle over any remaining herbs.
