Cured sea bass with purple sprouting broccoli, hazelnut pesto and bagna cauda
- Prepare
- less than 30 mins
- Cook
- 10 to 30 mins
- Serve
- Serves 4
This recipe takes inspiration from the Piedmont area of Italy, using Piedmont hazelnuts and one of its signature dishes, bagna cauda.
By Adam Byatt
From Saturday Kitchen
Ingredients
For the hazelnut pesto
For the bagna cauda
- 500g/1lb 2oz whole milk
- 50g/1¾oz garlic cloves, chopped
- 250g/9oz anchovies
- 5 free-range egg yolks
- 40g/1½oz Dijon mustard
- 700ml/1¼ pint vegetable oil
- 300ml/10fl oz olive oil
- 120ml/4fl oz warm water
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 2 lemons, juice only
For the sea bass
- 250g/9oz sea bass loin, sliced
- 2 blood oranges, segmented and juice squeezed, segments to garnish
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 red chilli, seeds removed and finely sliced, to garnish
- edible marigold leaves, to garnish
For the sousing liquor
- 100g/3½oz white wine vinegar
- 50g/1¾oz caster sugar
For the purple sprouting broccoli
- 1kg/2lb 4oz purple sprouting broccoli, outer leaves removed
- 2 tbsp olive oil, for grilling
- pinch salt
To serve
- 20g/¾oz freshly grated Parmesan
- 1 smoked anchovy
Method
To make the hazelnut pesto, heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the hazelnuts and season with the salt. Cook slowly until the nuts are a medium–dark golden colour. Remember the nuts will carry on cooking once removed from the pan.
Leave to cool slightly. Transfer the hazelnut mixture in small batches to a blender or food processor with the olive oil. Blend to a coarse texture. Set aside.
To make the bagna cauda, blend at 50C for 10 minutes, using a thermomixer. Alternatively, blend the ingredients (minus the egg) and pass through a sieve. Keep warm.
To make the sea bass, lay the sea bass on a plate.
To make the sousing liquor, whisk together the vinegar, sugar and 50g/1¾oz water in a jug.
Pour the liquor over the fish. Leave for 2 minutes and then move onto a clean plate and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Make a dressing with the orange juice and the same quantity of olive oil and salt. Set aside.
To make the broccoli, blanch the broccoli in a saucepan of boiling salted water for 1 minute and refresh in iced water.
Preheat a barbecue or griddle pan. Add oil and salt to the broccoli. Char the broccoli on the barbecue or griddle pan to colour slightly and warm through.
Place the broccoli on a serving plate with the bagna cauda. Top with the hazelnut pesto, Parmesan and smoked anchovy. Add the sea bass to the serving plate and garnish the fish with the orange segments, chilli, marigold leaves and dressing. Serve immediately.
