[adapted from“One Perfect Ingredient” by Marcus Wareing]

INGREDIENTS

6 sea bass fillets (3 fishes)
2 tbs olive oil
sea salt

for pine nut crust
100g pine nuts
65g unsalted butter
1 tbs fresh chervil leaves (chopped), optionally you can also use parsley
1 garlic clove (crushed) or some garlic puree
sea salt
black peppercorns

for the vinaigrette (optional)
50ml red wine
50 ml red wine vinegar
100 ml extra virgin olive oil

EQUIPMENT

baking / parchment paper

METHOD

First prepare the crust. Toast pine nuts, crush garlic clove.
In a food processor blend half of the pine nuts, add butter, chervil or parsley, garlic and process till it has paste texture. Add the rest of pine buts and process only until pine nuts are chopped. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Place mixture between two sheets of baking paper and flatten it with rolling pin to about 3-5mm thick. Place on a tray in the freezer till hard.

If you are going to use vinaigrette, heat wine over medium fire in a small sauce pan till thick, add vinegar and simmer for couple of minutes longer, add olive oil, remove from heat and leave aside.

Sprinkle fish with salt.
In a large frying pan place sea bass on hot oil and fry less than a minute on each side. Place on a baking tray skin side up. Take out pine nut crust from the freezer, cut into 6 pieces, place each piece on the top of the fish and grill in the oven for couple of minutes in about 160°C (320°F), till crust is golden brown and bubbling.

Serve to the plates, optionally season with prepared vinaigrette.

Make 6 servings.

• I served it with green salad and baked potatoes.