Pan-fried whole sea bream

Fresh sea bream is a lovely white-fleshed fish with a flaky texture.  Its flavour can be described as delicate and, because of this, it can be influenced on other flavours.  In this dish, delicious tastes are picked up from the herbs, with which the fish is stuffed, and from sprinkling on the ajillo which adds a magic touch.  In addition, because the fish is cooked whole, it remains beautifully moist.

It makes an excellent supper fish.

Preparation Time: 10 Mins

Cooking Time: 15 Mins

Total Time: 25 Mins

Ingredients

For 2 servings…

1                    Sea bream  - scaled and cleaned

4                    Bay leaves

1 bunch           Thyme      

½                   Lemon  - juice of      

2 tbs               Olive oil    

                     Pepper  - freshly ground, black 

                     Salt          

1 tbs               Ajillo        

For the ajillo

75 ml              Olive oil    

1 bunch           Parsley  - flat-leaf, chopped     

3 cloves           Garlic  - chopped finely          

Method

To make the ajillo…

Put the ingredients into a jar and give them a good shake.

The ingredient quantities will make more than is required for this meal, but it will keep in a fridge.

To cook the fish…

Stuff the cavity of the fish with the bay leaves and thyme and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Heat 2 dessertspoons of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed frying pan over a medium heat.  Place the fish in the pan and season with salt and pepper.  Cook for 6 to 7 minutes and then turn over the fish - adding more olive oil if necessary.  Cook for a further 6 to 7 minutes and check that the fish is cooked.

Take the meat off the skeleton and divide between two plates.  Drizzle with ajillo and serve.

Variations

The fish can be cooked on a barbeque rather than in a frying pan.

Sea bass can be cooked in the same way.

Wine recommendations

A delicate dry white wine.

Conventional

     Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur lie

Interesting

     Entre-deux-Mers

     Jurançon sec

     Pinot Gris

Adventurous

     Manzanilla Sherry