Ingredients

• 225g/8oz samphire
• 500g/1lb 2oz medium new potatoes
• scrubbed and quartered
• 2 shallots
• finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves
• finely chopped
• olive oil
• 175g/6oz smoked streaky bacon
• chopped into lardons
• 125g/4½oz broad beans
• podded
• large knob of unsalted butter
• freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 700-900g/1lb 9oz-2 lb sea bass
• descaled
• pin bones removed and cut into 4 fillets
• sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
• 200g/7oz butter
• 1 banana shallot
• thinly sliced
• 1 medium carrot
• thinly sliced
• 6 button mushrooms
• sliced
• 200ml/7fl oz champagne
• 300ml/10fl oz white fish stock
• 300ml/10fl oz double cream
• 150g/5½oz brown shrimps
• peeled

Directions

• For the samphire
• strip the fronds from the main stalks and wash thoroughly. Blanch the stalks in boiling water for 30 seconds. Refresh in cold water
• drain and set aside.
• Put the new potatoes in a large pan of salted water
• bring to the boil and cook until just tender
• then drain.
• Meanwhile
• heat a large frying pan over a high heat and add a little olive oil. Fry the shallots and garlic for a minutes then add the bacon and cook for a few minutes more. Add the potatoes
• shaking the pan to make sure the potatoes are coloured all over. Add the samphire
• broad beans and the butter.
• Season with pepper
• tossing thoroughly to make sure everything is heated through.
• For the sea bass
• preheat the grill to high. Line a baking tray with tin foil
• Score the skin of the sea bass fillets being careful not to cut too deeply into the flesh.
• Season the flesh side of the fish with salt and pepper. Arrange the fish skin-side up on the prepared tray. Brush the skin with olive oil
• and place the fillets under the grill. Cook for about 4 minutes
• or until the skin has blackened and the flesh is just cooked.
• For the sauce
• melt 50g/1¾oz of the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat
• add the vegetables and fry gently until just softened but not coloured.
• Add half the champagne and cook until reduced in volume to a syrupy consistency. Add the stock and cook until the volume of liquid has reduced by half. Add the cream and simmer to reduce by half.
• Pass through a sieve into a clean saucepan and then over a low heat whisk in the remaining butter. Just before serving
• stir in the shrimp and carefully warm the sauce until everything is heated through. Stir in the remaining champagne and check the seasoning.
• To serve
• put the new potatoes on a large serving plate. Top with the sea bass and pour over the sauce.