Ingredients

• 115g/4oz butter
• 2g/½ tsp ground mace
• 2g/½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 2g/½ tsp cayenne pepper
• 250g/9oz cooked brown shrimps
• 2 small shallots
• finely diced
• 1 lemon
• zest and juice
• 2 tbsp finely chopped dill
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2kg/4lb 8oz sea bass
• scaled
• gutted and fins removed
• 2kg/4lb 8oz fine table salt
• 500ml/18fl oz egg whites
• 1 fennel head
• sliced finely
• lengthways on a Japanese mandoline
• 5 radishes
• sliced
• small bunch dill
• picked into large fronds
• 2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lemon
• juice only

Directions

• For the potted shrimp
• place the butter into a saucepan then add the mace
• nutmeg and cayenne pepper.
• Heat over a gentle heat until the butter is melted then turn off the heat and set aside to infuse for an hour.
• Strain the clarified butter through a fine sieve into a clean bowl then add the shrimp
• shallot
• lemon and dill.
• Stir well to combine then season with salt and black pepper and place in the fridge to chill.
• For the sea bass
• preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7.
• Place the sea bass onto a large baking tray.
• Place the salt into a large bowl and gradually add the egg white
• mixing well until you achieve the consistency of wet sand.
• Pour the mixture over the sea bass and smooth to cover totally.
• Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the bass is cooked – check by inserting a knife into the thick part of the flesh and ensuring that the fish has reached 38C/100F.
• To serve
• mix together the sliced fennel
• radish and dill
• season with lemon juice and olive oil
• spoon in the potted shrimps and mix well.
• Serve the salad on plates and the fish in the centre of the table.