Pan fried sea bass with asparagus

serves 2

preparation time:
15 minutes

cooking time:
10 minutes

ingredients

2 tbsp The Co-operative olive oil
1 red or green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 lemon, juiced
1 small bunch of fresh thyme leaves
12 asparagus spears
2 fillets of sea bass

method

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed frying pan over a medium heat before adding the crushed garlic and fresh chilli. Fry very gently for a few minutes, do not let the garlic burn.

Lightly score the skin of your sea bass and add skin-side down to the pan with the garlic and chilli.

Add the asparagus and gently coat in the juices, fry for a couple of minutes before turning the fish over and keeping the asparagus spears moving.

When the fish skin is crispy and the asparagus has started to caramelise, squeeze over the juice of half a lemon and sprinkle with thyme, make sure all the ingredients in the pan are well coated with the flavoured oil, chilli pieces, garlic, lemon juice and thyme.

Place each piece of sea bass onto a bed of 6 asparagus spears and drizzle with the juices from the pan. Season well with salt and pepper and serve with warm bread to mop up the juices, and garnish with a citrus salsa of diced grapefruit.