Ingredients

• 200g/7oz caster sugar
• 2 lemons
• sliced
• 2 tsp white wine vinegar
• 2 large free-range egg yolks
• pinch salt
• 125g/4½oz butter
• melted
• 1 bunch asparagus
• trimmed
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 25g/1oz butter
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 4 sea bass fillets

Directions

• For the confit lemon hollandaise sauce
• put the caster sugar and 200ml/7fl oz water in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the sliced lemons to the syrup and cook on a low heat for about 20 minutes
• or until the syrup is glossy and translucent. Leave to cool in the pan.
• In a non-reactive pan
• heat two tablespoons of the lemon syrup and the white wine vinegar until just boiling Any remaining lemon syrup can be set aside and used for cocktails or other recipes.
• Place the egg yolks and a pinch of salt in a food processor. Set the motor to run slowly
• then gradually add the hot lemon and vinegar mixture to the egg yolks in a thin stream
• until it has all been incorporated into the egg yolks.
• With the motor still running
• gradually add the melted butter to the mixture in a thin stream
• until completely incorporated. Season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside.
• For the griddled asparagus
• bring a pan of salted water to the boil
• add the asparagus spears and cook for 1-2 minutes.
• Drain
• return the asparagus spears to the pan (off the heat) and drizzle with olive oil. Shake the pan to coat the asparagus spears
• then season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Heat a griddle pan over a medium to high heat. When the pan is smoking
• add the seasoned
• blanched asparagus and griddle for 3-4 minutes
• or until tender. Meanwhile
• return the pan to the heat and melt the butter. When the butter is foaming
• add the griddled asparagus and shake the pan to coat the asparagus spears in the butter.
• For the pan-fried seabass
• heat a large frying pan and add the oil. Once hot
• add the fish fillets and cook on both sides for 1-2 minutes.
• To serve
• drizzle a spoonful of sauce on each plate in a circle and place the asparagus on top and the fish on top of that. Drizzle a little more sauce around the plate.