Pan-fried sea bass with citrus dressing and caramelised chicory

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4.

2. To prepare the segments, using a sharp knife, cut a horizontal slice from the tops and bottoms of the grapefruits, limes and oranges. Remove any remaining peel and all the white pith.

3. Working over a bowl to catch the juice, cut down between the flesh and the membrane of each fruit segment. Ease out the segments onto a plate and squeeze the membranes over the bowl to extract any remaining juice.

4. Heat a small heavy-based frying pan and dry-fry the coriander seeds until they give off a warm nutty aroma. Crush to a coarse powder using a pestle and mortar.

5. Place the chicory in a single layer in a small roasting pan. Sprinkle with some of the citrus juice and half the crushed coriander seeds. Cover with foil and bake in oven for 30 minutes or until tender.


7. To finish the chicory, melt the butter with the honey in a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the cooked chicory and fry for a few minutes, stirring, until caramelised and sticky.

8. To make the dressing, whisk about 3 tablespoons of citrus juice (from the grapefruit, lime and orange) in a bowl with the fresh coriander and the remaining crushed coriander seeds. Add the olive oil and whisk until combined. Leave on one side.


9. To cook the fish, pour the olive oil into a non-stick frying pan off the heat. Add the bass fillets, skin side down. Place over medium-high heat and fry until the skin is crisp - about 5 minutes. Turn the fish over, add the remaining butter, and cook for another minute or so until flaky to the touch.

10. For the asparagus, bring a large pan of water to the boil. Plunge the asparagus into boiling water for 1-2 minutes, before draining.

11. To assemble the dish, arrange the chicory on warm serving plates with the fish on top. Fold the reserved citrus segments into the citrus dressing. Spoon the salad over the fish. Garnish with asparagus spears and serve at once.