Pan-Fried Sea Bass
with Oven-Baked Leek and Courgette Risotto
Love risottos, but wish there was no stirring involved? This Pan-Fried Sea Bass is served on top of a simplified version of the traditional risotto, baking in the oven instead to absorb all the stock and flavours.
The quantities provided above are averages only.
Boxes and ingredients are packed in facilities that handles Peanut, Nuts, Sesame, Fish, Crustaceans, Milk, Egg, Mustard, Celery, Soya, Gluten and Sulphites. Due to the war in Ukraine, it has been necessary to substitute sunflower oil with rapeseed oil in some products without a label change. The FSA have advised that allergic reactions to rapeseed oil are rare.
Ingredients
1 unit(s)
Courgette
(May contain traces of: Celery)
1 unit(s)
Leek
½ unit(s)
Lemon
1 unit(s)
Garlic Clove**
175 grams
Risotto Rice
20 grams
Vegetable Stock Paste
2 unit(s)
Sea Bass Fillets
(Contains: Fish)
20 grams
Grated Hard Italian Style Cheese
(Contains: Milk, Egg)
Not included in your delivery
600 milliliter(s)
Boiled Water for the Risotto
30 grams
Butter
Utensils
Cooking Instructions and Tips
Preheat your oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas mark 7. Boil a full kettle. Trim the courgette, then quarter lengthways. Chop widthways into 1cm pieces.
Trim the root and dark green leafy part from the leek and discard. Halve lengthways, then thinly slice.
Zest and halve the lemon (see ingredients for amount). Peel and grate the garlic (or use a garlic press).
If you prefer hob cooking your risotto, skip the oven and just use a normal pan.
Heat a drizzle of oil in a large, wide-bottomed ovenproof pan on medium heat. TIP: If you don't have an ovenproof pan, use a normal pan and transfer to an ovenproof dish before baking. Once hot, add the leek and season with salt and pepper. Cook the leek until softened, 5-6 mins, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook, 1 min.
Add the risotto rice, stir and cook until the edges of the rice are translucent, 1-2 mins. Stir in the boiled water for the risotto (see pantry for amount) and veg stock paste.
Bring back up to the boil. Pop a lid on the pan and bake on the middle shelf of your oven until the rice is cooked and the water has been absorbed, 20-25 mins.
Meanwhile, heat a drizzle of oil in a large frying pan on high heat. When hot, add the courgette and cook until charred, 6-8 mins. Turn every couple of mins. Once cooked, season, then transfer to a bowl. Set aside.
For hob cooking, pour in 2p: 800ml, 3p: 1200ml, 4p: 1600ml of boiled water a third at a time, stirring each time until the stock has been absorbed, 20-25 mins.
When the risotto has 10 mins remaining, return the frying pan to medium-high heat with a drizzle of oil. Pat the sea bass dry with kitchen paper, then season.
Once hot, carefully place your sea bass into the pan, skin-side down. Cook for 3-4 mins before turning over and cooking for 2-3 mins on the other side. TIP: To get crispy skin on the fish, don't move it around when it's cooking skin-side down. IMPORTANT: Wash your hands and equipment after handling raw fish. It's cooked when opaque in the middle.
When the risotto's cooked, remove it from the oven and stir through the courgette, butter (see pantry for amount), hard Italian style cheese and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Season to taste with salt, pepper and more lemon juice if needed. TIP: Add a splash of water to loosen the risotto to your desired consistency.
Share the risotto between your bowls and top with the sea bass.
Garnish with a sprinkle of lemon zest. Cut the remaining lemon into wedges and serve alongside for squeezing over.
Enjoy!
