Ingredients
2 sea bass, 500 g each
Olive oil, for brushing
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Dressing
30 ml light soy sauce
1 tbsp honey
Grated zest and juice of 1 blood orange
Grated zest and juice of 1 lime
1 tsp fennel seeds, toasted and ground
50 ml extra virgin olive oil
To finish
1 blood orange, peeled, segmented and cut into small pieces
50 g fresh pomegranate seeds
Fennel pollen
Method
Preheat the oven to 160C. Remove the skin from the prepared sea bass fillets and set aside.
Thinly slice the fillets, cover and set aside in the fridge. Pick the fronds of the fennel bulb and set aside in a bowl of iced water.
Line a baking tray with baking parchment and brush with some olive oil.
Season the fish skin with salt and lay on the parchment.
Top with another piece of parchment and another baking tray, sandwiching the skin in between. Bake for about 15 minutes, until crispy. Remove to a plate lined with kitchen paper and set aside.
For the dressing, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, orange zest and juice, the lime zest and juice, ground fennel seeds and olive oil.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Break the crispy fish skin into pieces. Gently mix the sea bass slices with the dressing, then spread the fish out on a plate.
Sprinkle the fish with the pieces of blood orange, the pomegranate seeds, crispy fish skin and some fennel pollen.
‘The Skills: How to become an expert chef in your own kitchen’ by Monica Galetti