Black bream with asparagus and spiced beurre blanc
This light spring fish dish seems super fancy but is actually deceptively easy to make – perfect for a dinner party!
Ingredients
For the spiced beurre blanc
- 1 small shallots, finely sliced
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1 lemon, zest and juice
- 10 rasps whole nutmeg
- small pinch cayenne pepper
- 150ml/5fl oz white wine
- 50ml/2fl oz double cream
- 250g/9oz unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the black bream and asparagus
Method
To make the spiced beurre blanc, put the shallots, garlic, lemon zest and juice, nutmeg, cayenne pepper and wine into a pan over a medium-high heat. Simmer until the wine has almost totally reduced.
Add the cream and reduce the heat to low.
Add the butter, piece by piece, whisking all the time. Do not allow the sauce to boil or it will split.
Once all the butter is incorporated, season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and keep warm.
To make the black bream and asparagus, blanch the asparagus in a pan of salted boiling water for 3 minutes, then drain.
Season the fish all over with salt. Heat the oil in a large, non-stick pan over a medium heat. When hot, gently place the fillets into the pan, skin-side down.
Make sure the oil isn’t too hot; you want the fish to gently fry. Cook for 2–3 minutes on the skin side until the edges of the fish start to turn golden.
Carefully flip the fish and turn off the heat, it will continue to cook in the residual heat.
Gently warm the beurre blanc, and stir in the parsley.
Spoon the beurre blanc equally between four warmed plates, top with the asparagus and then the bream.
Sprinkle with the parsley and place a few lemon segments around. Serve immediately.
