Pan-fried sea bass with fondant potato, parsnip cream, shallot puree and fennel vanilla sauce

Ingredients

For the fondant potato
2 large Maris Piper potatoes, peeled
3 tbsp olive oil
about 40g/1½oz butter
100ml/3½floz water
salt and white pepper
For the parsnip cream
3 large parsnips, peeled, core removed, chopped
200ml/7floz double cream
200ml/7floz water
salt and white pepper
pinch freshly grated nutmeg
For the shallot purée
2 banana shallots, unpeeled
1 garlic clove
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and white pepper
For the fennel vanilla sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
2 large fennel bulbs, trimmed, finely chopped
100ml/3½floz hot fish stock
100ml/3½floz double cream
½ vanilla pod, seeds only
25g/1oz butter
For the pan-fried sea bass
2 tbsp olive oil
2 fillets of wild sea bass, skin on, pinboned
salt and white pepper
25g/1oz butter
To serve
small handful fresh baby spinach
15g/½oz butter

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas 3.
2. For the fondant potato, trim the potatoes until approx 4cm/2½in high. Cut the potatoes with a 5½cm/2.5inch pastry cutter and trim around the sharp edges.
3. Heat the oil in an ovenproof pan over a medium-high heat. Add the potatoes and when golden-brown on one side, turn them over and add a knob or two of butter and the water. Season with salt and white pepper. Bring to a simmer then add to a preheated oven and cook for about 15 minutes or until tender in the centre. Remove from the oven and keep warm.
4. For the parsnip cream, place the chopped parsnips into a medium-sized pan and cover with the measured cream and water, or enough to cover the parsnips. Bring to the boil and slowly simmer until tender. Drain and reserve the parsnips and the cooking liquor. Add the cooked parsnips to a blender and a few tablespoons of cooking liquid. Blend until smooth using as much of the cooking liquid as necessary to reach a smooth consistency. Season with salt, white pepper and a small grating of nutmeg.
5. For the shallot purée, place the shallots, garlic, thyme and olive oil onto a square of aluminium foil. Fold and seal the foil to make a bag and place in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove when the shallots are soft. Discard the skins, garlic and thyme and add the shallots to the blender. Blend until the shallots become very smooth and season to taste with salt and freshly ground white pepper.
6. For the fennel vanilla sauce, heat the olive oil in a saucepan, add the chopped fennel and fry gently for 6-8 minutes, or until softened but not browned. Add the fish stock, bring to the boil and then simmer until reduced by half. Add the cream and again bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer and cook until reduced by half. Remove from the heat and place in a food processor with the seeds of half a vanilla pod. Process until fine and then whisk in a knob of butter before serving.
7. For the sea bass, heat a non-stick pan over high heat and add the oil. Season the fish with salt and white pepper and place in the oil skin-side down. Cook for 2-3 minutes, turn over, add a knob of butter and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Reduce the heat right down and leave to cook slowly until the fish is cooked through.
8. Wilt a small handful of spinach in a pan with small knob of butter.
9. To serve, spoon a circle of parsnip cream in the centre of a serving plate, top with the wilted spinach and fondant potato. Spoon a small amount of shallot purée on the potato and top with the sea bass. Spoon the sauce around the plate.