Panfried Seabass with Sauce Vierge, Roasted Fennel and Asparagus, and Crushed Garlic Thyme Potatoes

This seabass dish with my twist on a classic sauce vierge recipe and my version of roasted crushed potatoes will transport you to the sunshine with every mouthful. Just make sure to enjoy with a chilled glass of wine. Fresh, vibrant and full of flavour.

Serves 3
1. For the crushed potatoes, par boil 750g jersey royals for 10 minutes. Tip onto a parchment lined roasting tray and gently crush with a potato masher so they are slightly flattened. Allow to steam dry for 5 mins before brushing generously on both sides with olive oil, sprinkling with sea salt flakes and roasting at 200C/180C fan with some garlic cloves and rosemary sprigs until golden and crispy.
2. For the sauce vierge, deseed, deskin and finely chop 3 large tomatoes. Add to a bowl with 5 tbsps extra virgin olive oil, 3 finely chopped anchovies, a handful of capers, a few chopped kalamata olives, a finely chopped shallot, 1 tbsp crushed toasted coriander seeds and crushed garlic cloves. Finely chop a handful of parsley, basil and tarragon before mixing with the juice of a lemon. Taste, season and add more oil if needed. Set aside to infuse.
3. Chop a couple of fennel bulbs into wedges, remove the core and add to a small roasting tin. Drizzle with olive oil, some seasoning and the zest and juice of an orange. Roast for 30 mins on the oven shelf underneath the potatoes before adding the asparagus spears for the final 10 mins of cooking.
4. Finally, once everything is ready, pat the seabass fillets dry with kitchen roll, season and cut three slices into the skin of each. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a hot pan and fry the fillets skin side down for 4 minutes until golden and crispy. Turn the fillets over briefly and add a knob of butter and some lemon juice for basting. Serve and enjoy.