RECIPE BY:

Steve Flood

SERVING SIZE:

2 – 4 people

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 x 180-200g snapper fillets, skin left on
• sea salt flakes
• olive oil, for frying
• extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

SAUCE VIERGE:

• 4 marinated artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
• 1⁄2 bunch of basil, leaves, picked
• 2 French shallots, finely diced
• 20 cherry tomatoes, finely sliced
• 1 small handful of chives, finely snipped
• 3 teaspoons capers
• juice of 1⁄2 lemon
• 1⁄2 teaspoon sherry vinegar
• freshly ground black pepper

METHOD:

• Season the fish with salt and leave for a few minutes to draw the moisture from the skin.
• For the sauce vierge, in a large bowl, combine the artichoke, basil, shallot, tomato, chives, capers, lemon juice and vinegar. Stir carefully so as not to bruise the delicate ingredients. Season with salt and pepper.
• Pat the fish dry with paper towel and re-season the skin with salt.
• Heat some olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat and fry the perch, skin side down, for 90 seconds. Turn the fish and cook for 30 seconds until the fish has cooked through. Remove from the heat immediately.
• Serve a fillets per person with a generous serving of the sauce vierge spooned across the top. Finish with a drizzle of the extra virgin olive oil.

Our friends at Wine Selectors recommend pairing this dish with a Gruner Veltliner or Sauvignon Blanc.