Crispy Skin Sea Bass with Sautéed Spinach & Lemon

Ingredients

• Buttered new potatoes, to serve
• 200 g baby spinach
• salt and black pepper
• 2 tbsp garlic-infused olive oil
• 2 sea bass fillets, skin-on, scaled
• 1 lemon, half juiced, half cut into wedges
• 1 tbsp capers, rinsed
• Dressed green salad, to serve
• Fresh dill, to serve

Method

1. Pat the sea bass fillets very dry with kitchen paper — dry skin is the difference between crisp and rubbery. Score the skin two or three times with a sharp knife and season the skin generously with salt.
2. Heat 1 tbsp garlic-infused oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Lay the fillets in skin-side down and press gently with a spatula for the first 30 seconds to stop them curling away from the pan.
3. Cook undisturbed for 4–5 minutes until the skin is deeply golden and audibly crisp, and the flesh has turned opaque two-thirds of the way up. Flip, cook for 30 seconds more, then lift onto a warm plate, skin-side up.
4. Add the remaining tablespoon of garlic-infused oil to the same pan along with the spinach. Wilt over high heat for 1–2 minutes, tossing, until just collapsed but still vivid green. Season with salt and pepper, squeeze in the lemon juice and scatter in the capers.
5. Pile the spinach into the centre of two warm plates and lay the fish on top, skin-side up so it stays crisp. Tuck lemon wedges alongside.