Serves 2
Ingredients
1 whole sea bass-filleted &pin boned.
100g of celeriac, outer skin peeled & then cut into matchsticks.
100g of fresh beetroot.
Extra virgin Olive Oil, salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Mayonnaise
1 whole egg
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
Pinch of fresh ground pepper
Pinch of salt
Vegetable oil
Basil Oil
6 x large basil leaves sliced into strips (chiffonade)
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
METHOD
Make the basil oil by mixing the basil and olive oil together; set a side.
Begin making your beetroot cubes by placing the beetroot in a pan of cold water and bringing to the boil. Remove, peel and then place on a roasting tray drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper. Bake in a pre heated oven at 180°C for 30 minutes, or until cooked all the way through with a caramelised outer skin. Once cooled, dice the beetroot into medium sized cubes.
Meanwhile, prepare the sea bass (your fish monger can gut and scale the fish if you’d prefer). Scale the fish by running a knife in the opposite direction to the fish scales and rubbing against the fish until all have been removed. Slice open the belly and rip out the guts; wash the fish thoroughly. Now working from the tail run a flexible knife all the way to the head (you should feel the main fish bone as you are doing so) and cut round the head releasing the fillet from the main bone; repeat with the other side, wash thoroughly. Use a pair of fish tweezers to pull out the pin bones above the rib cage, now set the fillets aside.
Mix the mayonnaise ingredients together, leaving the vegetable oil until last. Slowly add drops of the vegetable oil whilst whisking together the other ingredients. Continue the process slowly until the mixture binds together to form a thick mayonnaise. Once ready add half a tbsp.to the celeriac matchsticks, mix together and then add more mayo to the celeriac if needed.
To cook the sea bass fillets add 2 tbsp of vegetable oil to a pan and then lay the fish down, skin side up and cook over a low heat. When the outer edge of the fish changes colour to white (take a peek by lifting up) use a fish slider to turn over and cook for a further minute. When cooked all the way through, take the fillets out of the pan and rest on kitchen paper, patting dry any excess oil.
To plate up, spoon a serving of the celeriac remoulade onto the centre of your plate, then lay your sea bass fillet on top. Add the beetroot cubes and finally garnish the dish with a drizzle of basil infused oil.