By chef Nicos Constantinou, Cielo e Mare, Patmos
Be transported to the shores of Greece with this seabass dish from chef Nicos Constantinou, head chef at the seafront Cielo e Mare, a seafront restaurant within Patmos Aktis, a boutique hotel on Patmos. This tiny Greek Island in the north Dodecanese has a population of just 3,000, many of whom are fishermen, farmers, and winemakers, and like much of Greece, Patmos has an incredibly high life expectancy, due to the fresh ingredients, and relatively stress-free island life.
Patmos also boasts the most incredible fresh seafood and for those who can’t sail to the island right at this minute, the team at Patmos Aktis have shared a recipe for their popular Aegean seabass with a beautifully creamy, lemony sauce.
Ingredients – serves 2
240g seabass fillet
80g chard
60g fennel lemon beurre blanc
50g parsnip puree
Fennel lemon beurre blanc:
2 finely sliced shallots
15g white vinegar
Zest of 1 lemon plus 70g lemon juice
60ml white wine
3g fennel seeds
225g salted butter, cubed
Parsnip puree:
450g parsnips
5g garlic
100g fresh cream
120ml fresh milk
30g unsalted butter
Salt
Method
For the buerre blanc:
1. Bring the shallots, white wine vinegar, lemon juice, lemon zest, white wine and fennel seeds to the boil in a saucepan. Continue to boil until the volume of liquid has reduced to two tablespoons.
2. Add a tablespoon of cold water and return the mixture to the boil. Boil again until only one tablespoon of liquid remains in the pan.
3. To finish, heat to low the cream mixture, then whisk in the butter, a cube at a time, waiting until each cube has melted before adding the next. Continue to whisk until the sauce is pale and thick, then remove the pan from the heat and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
4. Add more lemon juice, as necessary, to taste. Strain the sauce through a sieve into a clean saucepan and set aside until needed.
For the seabass and chard:
1. Meanwhile, wash and clean the chard leaves, either removing the stems or keeping them and slicing them up. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a sauté pan on medium heat and cook the chard stems for 1-2 minutes. Add the chard leaves and cook until wilted (4-5 minutes).
2. Heat an non-stick pan with a little olive oil. Fry the sea bass skin side down. Carefully turn and fry the other side for a few minutes.
For the parsnip puree:
1. Bring parsnips, garlic, cream, milk, and butter to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10 – 15 minutes until parsnips are very soft.
2. Uncover and cook until liquid is reduced by half, about 5 minutes, then season with salt.
3. Purée in a Thermomix or blender until smooth.
Plate up the seabass alongside the sauteed chard, and either pour the sauce over the seabass, or serve in a jug to the side for your guests to pour themselves.
