Pan-Fried Sea Bass with Salsa Verde and Warm Lentils

• 30gflat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 15gmint, finely chopped
• 1 tbspcapers, chopped
• 1lemon, zested and juiced
• 1 tspDijon mustard
• 3 tbspolive oil
• fine salt, to taste
• black pepper, to taste
• 4skin-on sea bass fillets, about 600g total
• 1shallot, finely diced
• 1garlic clove, thinly sliced
• 200gcourgette, finely diced
• 2× 250g pouches cooked Puy lentils
• 200gcherry tomatoes, halved
• 50mlwater
• 80gspinach

Method

1. 1Mix the parsley, mint, capers, lemon zest, 1 tbsp lemon juice, Dijon, 1½ tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper in a bowl. Reserve 2 tbsp of the salsa verde for the lentils; keep the rest for spooning around the finished fish.
2. 2Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the shallot, garlic and courgette; cook for 5 minutes until the shallot is soft and the courgette is tender at the edges.
3. 3Add the Puy lentils, cherry tomatoes and water. Cook for 4 minutes until the lentils are hot and glossy and the tomato halves have softened but still hold their shape.
4. 4Fold in the spinach and the reserved salsa verde. Cook for 1 minute until the spinach has just wilted, then season with salt, pepper and more lemon juice if needed. Cover loosely to keep warm.
5. 5Meanwhile, pat the sea bass dry and season both sides. Heat the remaining ½ tbsp olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat for 2 minutes until it shimmers.
6. 6Lay the fillets in skin-side down and press gently for 20 seconds so the skin makes full contact with the pan. Cook for 4 minutes until the skin is deeply golden and crisp and the flesh is opaque almost all the way up the sides.
7. 7Turn the sea bass and cook for 1 minute until steaming hot throughout and just opaque at the centre. Spoon the lentils onto plates, keeping the tomato halves and courgette pieces visible, then set the fish on top with the skin uppermost. Spoon the remaining salsa verde around the fish, not over the crisp skin.

Per serving

kcal

426

protein

40.9g

fibre

13.1g

carbs

34.4g

fat

15.1g