Roast fillet of fish with chorizo and black olive mash March 16, 2017

4 x 160g fillets fresh white fish – John Dory is a good option for crispy skin

80g chorizo, sliced

4 bay leaves

3 tbsp olive oil

2 sprigs basil

700g mashed potato

50g unsalted butter

splash double cream

70g stoned black olives, chopped

1 tbsp chopped flat parsley

250g green beans, blanched

30g unsalted butter

Maldon salt

freshly milled black pepper

squeeze lemon juice

Method:

1.   Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4.

2.   Heat an ovenproof stainless steel frying pan and add the olive oil. Lightly season the fish and add to the pan, skin side down.

3.   Add the chorizo and bay leaves to the pan and cook quickly alongside the fish to allow the flavours of the chorizo to be released. When the fish skin is lightly coloured, turn the fillets over to colour the flesh side, then turn back to the skin side. Transfer the pan to the oven to finish cooking the fish. 5 minutes in the oven should be about right for the average fillet. The fish should be cooked so that the skin is crisp and the inside firm but not rubbery.

4.   While the fish is cooking, melt the butter in a medium saucepan and add the cream. Add the mashed potato to the pan with seasoning, and work the butter and cream into the potato as it heats up. Add the olives and parsley to the hot potato and mix.

5.   Add the basil leaves to the fish pan then transfer the fish, chorizo, bay and basil to a warm plate to rest. The fat in the frying pan will be a combination of olive oil and chorizo fat, flavoured by the fish. Tip two-thirds of this fat over the fish then add the well drained green beans to the hot pan. Return the pan to the heat and toss the beans into the hot oil for a minute to heat through and flavour them.

6.   Set a scoop of olive mash on 4 hot plates, then a portion of beans on each. Place a piece of fish onto the beans and sprinkle the cooked chorizo sausage and basil around. Spoon some of the cooking juices and oil over the fish and serve.