Wild Sea Bass in Aromatic Salt

Ciao All Just a quick blog this month, I thought I would share with you a recipe that is one of my favourites. I made this dish on 'Britains Best Dish' last year. I like this dish, because it is simple and easy to prepare. Wild Sea Bass cooked in an Aromatic Salt. You will need: 1.1kilogram of Wild Sea Bass 2. 4 kilogram of Sea Salt 3. 1 Medium white egg 4. 1 table spoon of Fennel seeds 5. Zest of 1 Lemon 6. 1 sprig of Rosemary 7. 1 Fennel (with leaf) 8. 1 Courgette 9. 1 Aubergine 10. 1 Red Pepper 11. 1 Yellow Pepper 12. 1 Red Onion 13. Sea Salt 14. Cracked Black Pepper 15. 1 table spoon of granulated white sugar 16. 50ml of Olive Oil 17. 100gram of Bread crumbs 18. 50gram of Parmesan Cheese 19. 200gram of Butter 20. 1 Clove of Garlic To prepare the dish: For making the Aromatic Salt Put 4kilo of Salt in a bowl. Add Zest of 1 Lemon, the Fennel Seeds, Rosemary and 1 Egg Mix together Lay a bed of 2 kilo of salt on a baking tray Lay Gutted Wild Sea Bass Make of a filling of Fennel Leaf and 2 Slices of Lemon (This stops salt getting inside the fish) Cover with rest of salt Place in  the middle of a pre-heated oven at 200 degrees centigrade for 30 minutes. Side Dish: Chop in to cubes the Aubergine, Courgette, Red Onion and Yellow and Red Pepper. Place on a baking tray with a table spoon of Sugar Add salt, Pepper, Rosemary, 50g of Olive Oil and 50g of butter and a finely chopped garlic clove. Mix together and place on top shelf of oven for 30 minutes at 300 degrees. Slice Fennel Simmer for 5-10 minutes Remove from Water Mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan and 50g of butter Gratin (Place under grill) until golden brown Warm garlic butter sauce for the fish: Warm butter in a pan with garlic. Total Prep Time: 30 minutes Total Cooking Time:  Approx 60 minutes Then serve on an oval plate. With the fish presented in the centre of the plate, with a fan of Fennel and a tower of roasted vegetables.  Warm garlic butter drizzled over the fish. Hopefully you find this dish as easy to prepare and as delicious as I do. Ciao Mario

Sunshine, birthday and BBQ

The weekend just past saw yet another long bank holiday weekend, here in the UK and the weather, while not as hot as the Easter weekend, was still warm with bright sunshine.

While most people were caught up with the pomp and ceremony of the Royal Wedding (I am fast learning that nobody quite does pomp and ceremony like the British..) we had our own special day to celebrate in our household, with the 6^th birthday of my eldest son, Raffaele.

A house full of screaming kids all enjoying themselves playing on the Bouncy castle, swings and slides or taking part in a treasure hunt or on the Piñata. While their parents relaxed with a drink in the sunshine…. All while yours truly was slaving away behind the BBQ cooking buffalo burgers from Yorkshire, sausages, vegetable kebabs.  With seafood salads and mozzarella salads, puff pastry filled with beef and spinach and ricotta and lots more, I made sure there was enough choice for everybody. Not to mention the big, homemade, chocolate cake inspired by the fantastic Yummy Yank to finish off with.

The day was a huge success.

Sign in next time  for the recipe of a dish I prepared and cooked on 'Britains Best Dish'

Ciao for now

Mario