Spiced Sea Bass with Chunky Cumin Pea Puree
Serves: 2 people
Takes: Up to 15 mins
A winning combo of pea puree with bass. This is one of my favourite recipes to make mid week as it's quick and easy to scale up if you need to cook for more than 2.
The wonderful delicate flavours of my simple spice paste uses a few spice box essentials which don't overpower the fish, and served with a quick pea puree using rocket and cumin adds bags of extra flavour.
Ingredients
200g peas, they can be frozen
few sprigs of fresh mint leaves
1/2 teaspoon garlic puree
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes, or more if you like your dishes fiery
1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 spring onions, finely chopped
50g rocket leaves
few tablespoons of hot stock or boiling water
2 sea bass or mackerel fillets, scales removed and scored on the skin side
juice of 1/2 lemon
sea salt, to taste
Method
In a pan boil the peas with the mint leaves for a few minutes.
In the meantime make the spice paste for the sea bass. Mix together the garlic puree, turmeric powder, chilli flakes, garam masala and 1 tablespoon of olive oil before setting aside.
Heat another tablespoon of olive oil in a small pan and fry the cumin seeds for a minute before adding in the spring onions and frying for a further minute.
Stir the rocket into the pan with the peas and turn off the heat.
Drain the peas and rocket. Keep a few tablespoons of peas aside and pop the rest in a blender with the cumin seed mix and a few tablespoons of hot stock. Whizz until it resembles a chunky puree, adding more stock if you need to. Transfer it all to a pan, with the peas you set aside earlier, and gently heat whilst you cook the sea bass.
Heat a frying pan and pour in the rest of the olive oil.
Rub the flesh side of the sea bass fillets with the spice paste. Sprinkle the skin side with a little sea salt before placing it in the pan skin side down.
After a few minutes the skin will be crispy. Turn over the bass and cook for a minute before turning off the heat.
Taste the pea puree and adjust the seasoning with a little lemon juice and salt if needed.
Lay the sea bass on top of the pea puree and squeeze over a little more lemon juice before serving.
My Tip: I like to make a simple red onion and tomato salad to add some crunch to the meal, dressed with a little olive oil, lemon juice and a pinch of chilli powder.
