Ainsley Harriott’s Mediterranean Sea Bass and Potato Bake
Ainsley Harriott's simple roasted sea bass and potatoes is an easy one-tin dinner inspired by the flavours of the Mediterranean. Perfect as a summery midweek meal.
From the book
Ainsley’s Mediterranean Cookbook
A journey through the diverse cuisines of the Mediterranean region.
With recipes ranging from Moroccan tagines to Italian desserts.
All laid out in Ainsley's clear, accessible, and foolproof style.
Introduction
We ate some beautiful baked fish on our journey around the Mediterranean. One of the most memorable was in Corsica – a whole baked fish served simply on a bed of potatoes and onions. Sometimes, it’s the simplicity of dishes that make them taste so delicious; pared-back cooking really allows the ingredients to shine. This is also great with bream or snapper, or you can bake a whole fish on top of the potatoes for 18–20 minutes instead of using fillets. Try throwing in some capers, if you fancy.
Ingredients
| 4 | sea bass fillets, skin on |
| 2 | lemons: 1 thinly sliced; 1 for squeezing |
| 4 | large waxy potatoes (Désirée work well), peeled and thinly sliced |
| 1 | red onion, thinly sliced |
| 2 | large tomatoes, thinly sliced |
| 1 | large garlic clove, finely chopped |
| 2 | tbsp olive oil |
| 120ml | white wine |
| 2 | bay leaves |
| 3 | thyme sprigs |
| 3 tbsp | chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley |
| 2 tsp | fresh marjoram or oregano leaves |
| sea salt and freshly ground black pepper | |
| fresh bread, to serve |
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Line an ovenproof dish with baking parchment.
Season the fish fillets with salt and pepper and squeeze over a little lemon juice. Set aside.
Layer the potatoes and onions in the bottom of the lined ovenproof dish, season well with salt and black pepper, then add a layer of tomatoes. Sprinkle over the garlic, then place a few lemon slices on top. Drizzle over the oil, squeeze over some more lemon juice and pour in the wine. Add the bay leaves and thyme sprigs, 2 tablespoons of the parsley and sprinkle over half of the marjoram leaves. Season well with salt and pepper, cover with foil and bake for 25–30 minutes.
Remove the dish from the oven and lay the fish fillets in the dish skin-side up. Sprinkle with the remaining marjoram and bake uncovered for a further 12–14 minutes or until the fish is cooked through (it should flake easily when cooked).
Use a spatula or fish slice to carefully remove the fish from the dish, cover loosely with foil, and keep warm. Return the vegetables to the oven to bake for a further 4–5 minutes (if needed) until the potatoes turn golden brown in places.
Remove from the oven and serve immediately, scattered with the remaining fresh parsley, with some fresh bread on the side.
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