Jamie Magazine
By Andy Harris
Sea bass in puff pastry
Stuffed with prawns & served with salsa verde
1 hr 15 mins
Not Too Tricky
serves 4
Recipe From
Ingredients
60g small cooked prawns, peeled and finely chopped
2 tbsp finely chopped tarragon
1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing
1 large free-range egg, beaten
2 tbsp milk
Plain flour, for dusting
500g pack of puff pastry, halved
1kg whole sea bass, filleted (ask your fishmonger to do this)
Green salad, to serve
SALSA VERDE
1 small bunch each of basil, mint and flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked
2 garlic cloves
6 cornichons
2 tbsp capers, drained
3 anchovy fillets, drained
5 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
Method
A great alternative to a classic roast dinner – this fish recipe is a guaranteed show-stopper.
- Preheat the oven to 220ºC/450ºF/gas 7. Combine the prawns, tarragon and olive oil in a small bowl and season generously. For the egg wash, whisk the egg and milk in a small bowl and set aside.
- Lightly flour a work surface and roll out half of the pastry to a rectangular shape about 5mm thick and 10cm longer than the fish fillets (for the head and tail). Transfer to a lightly oiled baking tin.
- Place one of the fillets, skin-side down, on the pastry, leaving a little more space at one end for the tail shape. Spoon the prawn and tarragon mixture over the fish and place the other fillet on top. Brush the edges of the pastry with the egg wash.
- Roll out the remaining pastry to the same size and use this to cover the fish, pressing the edges carefully to seal them. Use a small, sharp knife to trim the excess and create your fish shape. Then, with a teaspoon, score half-moon shapes into the pastry in the style of fish scales (but don’t pierce the pastry).
- Roll the off-cut pastry to 1cm thick, cut out a few thin strips to shape into fins, and tear off a small piece and roll into a ball for the fish’s eye. Build your fish shape, brush with the remaining egg wash, then bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 220ºC/350ºF/gas 4 and cook for another 20 minutes, until the pastry is golden and the fish is cooked.
- Meanwhile, make the salsa verde. Roughly chop the herb leaves in the centre of a large chopping board. Add the garlic, cornichons, capers and anchovies and continue chopping until fine, mixing it together as you go. Transfer to a bowl, stir in the olive oil and vinegar, and season well.
- To serve, transfer the fish to a platter and serve in slices with the salsa verde and salad.
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