Pan-fried sea bass with fennel pesto and tomato salsa

Prepare: less than 30 mins
Cook: 10 to 30 mins
Serve: Serves 4
Dietary: Egg-free Pregnancy-friendly

By Mark Sargeant

Ingredients

For the sea bass

4 x 150g/5oz sea bass fillets
1 tsp olive oil
salt
pinch freshly ground white pepper
pinch ground coriander

For the fennel pesto

1 fennel bulb, roughly chopped
2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
50g/2oz pine nuts, toasted
2 tbsp ground almonds
50g/2oz parmesan, freshly grated
100ml/3½fl oz olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the tomato salsa

150g/5oz cherry tomatoes, cut in half
½ lemon, juice only
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 dashes Tabasco sauce
2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves
1 punnet pea shoots

Method

Using a sharp knife, trim the sea bass fillets into a square shape, then cut into the skin side to lightly score.
Rub the fillets with olive oil and season with salt and a pinch of white pepper and ground coriander.
Heat a frying pan until hot and add the sea bass, skin-side down. Fry for three minutes, then turn and cook for a further 1-2 minutes, or until completely cooked through.
For the fennel pesto, place the fennel into a food processor and blend to a fine purée.
Add the dill, pine nuts, ground almonds and parmesan and pulse to combine.
Add the olive oil and blend to a porridge-like consistency. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
For the tomato salsa, place the tomatoes into a bowl and add the lemon juice, sesame oil, Tabasco sauce and coriander leaves. Stir gently to combine.
To serve, place a spoonful of fennel pesto into the centre of each plate. Place a sea bass fillet on top of each and spoon the salsa around. Garnish with a few pea shoots and serve.