Ingredients

• 100g/3½oz new potatoes
• boiled until just cooked through
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 25g/1oz unsalted butter
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 50g/1¾oz unsalted butter
• ¼ fennel bulb
• finely sliced
• 2 tbsp white wine
• 1 tsp white wine vinegar
• 50ml/2fl oz double cream
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh chives
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 100g/3½oz sea bass fillet
• ½ lemon
• juice only
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• To make the crushed potato
• roughly mash the potato in a bowl with the olive oil and butter
• then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• To make the fennel sauce
• heat the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the fennel and sauté until soft and golden.
• Add the white wine and vinegar and cook until reduced in volume by half.
• Add the cream and continue to reduce until thickened.
• Add the chives
• stir well and season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• To make the sea bass
• heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Season the sea bass on both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper and add to the pan skin-side down. Cook for three minutes
• then turn the fillet over and continue to cook for 2-3 more minutes
• or until cooked through.
• Squeeze over the lemon juice and remove from the heat.
• To serve
• place the crushed potatoes in the middle of a warm plate. Place the sea bass on top and spoon the fennel sauce around.