Dermot O'Leary's sea bass recipe
Wild sea bass, preferably line-caught, is a great fish to put on the barbecue. Its thicker skin keeps the high heat at bay while sealing in the firm white flesh. Sea bass does not need its great taste to be hidden but supported with a selection of the freshest herbs.
Dermot's tips
1. If you can’t get sea bass, a red mullet or any thick-skinned fish will do. Red mullet is a smaller fish and you should reduce the cooking time accordingly.
2. Pomace olive oil is obtained from the second pressing of the olives and has a higher smoking point than other oils.
Ingredients
- 2 500-600g sea bass, skin on, gutted and scaled
- 1 tbsp Sunflower oil
- 1 pinch Salt
- 1 pinch Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 handful Fresh herbs, such as marjoram, parsley, basil, dill or oregano
- 1 Lime
- 2 tbsp Pomace olive oil
Details
- Cuisine: British
- Recipe Type: Main
- Difficulty: Easy
- Preparation Time: 30 mins
- Cooking Time: 16 mins
- Serves: 2
Step-by-step
- First make the marinade. Finely chop all the herbs, top and tail the lime and dice, skin and all. Mix together in a separate bowl with the olive oil and set aside.
- Carefully remove all the fins from the sea bass, taking care as the dorsal fins are quite sharp. Leave the head on and gently score both sides of the fish. Rub the marinade into the skin and into the cavity of the fish. Season with salt and pepper and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.
- Preheat the barbecue and rub the grill with sunflower oil. Alternatively, put the sea bass in a fish holder and place on the hot grill. Cook for about 6 to 8 minutes on each side, until the inner flesh starts to turn white.
- Serve whole with new potatoes.
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