Whole Sea Bass with Roasted Fennel and Salsa Verde

Yesterday, Ben ran 26.2 miles for Hope and Homes for Children. So far he has raised £351.20, much more then expected, and he is a very happy, if a little sore, boy. I am a very proud girlfriend too!! As a big well done I decided to cook one of Ben’s favourites, Sea Bass. 

The inspiration for this dish comes from the Circus Cafe and Restaurant in Bath, where I have worked as a waitress off and on for around 4 years now. They serve a fish special each day, and over Easter one such special was fillets of Sea Bass served with Salsa Verde and Roasted Fennel. I decided to recreate this deliciously fresh and tasty flavour combination, baking the fish with fennel, black olives and lemon, before drizzling over my take on the herby and slightly acidic Salsa Verde.

-For the Fish and Roasted Fennel-

2 small sea bass, descaled and gutted by the fish monger, and rinsed and dried

1 fennel bulb, sliced

a handful of black pitted olives 

1 lemon, sliced

a handful of fresh basil leaves 

Seasoning

Olive oil, to drizzle

-For the Salsa Verde-

large handful of flat leaf parsley

large handful of basil

tbsp capers

6 anchovy fillets

clove garlic, peeled and chopped

tbsp lemon juice

dessert spoonful of white wine vinegar

large glug of olive oil

1. Preheat the oven to 200C. Stuff the sea bass with half the sliced fennel, lemon, and some of the basil. Scatter the rest of the ingredients in a roasting tin, then place the fish on top. Season the fish with salt and pepper and drizzle over some olive oil. 
2. Bake for around 30 minutes, until the fish are cooked through and starting to brown. 
3. Whilst the fish is cooking, make the Salsa Verde. Chop large handfuls of parsley and basil, add the capers, anchovy fillets, lemon juice, garlic and white wine vinegar. Add a large glug of olive oil, and blitz to make a sauce (alternatively, if you do not have a mixer you can chop everything up finely and mix by hand to make a coarser salsa verde).
4. Serve the fish, fennel, olives and lemon on a plate, and drizzle over the salsa verde.