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Bass with air-dried ham, courgettes and lemon

Nathan Outlaw shares his recipe for bass with air-dried ham, courgettes and lemon
Bass with parma ham

This bass with air-dried ham, courgettes and lemon recipe from Nathan Outlaw’s new book Everyday Seafood is the perfect Saturday night supper

www.outlaws.co.uk

Serves    4
  • Bass 1, gutted, scaled, filleted and pin-boned
  • Olive oil 2 tbsp
  • Onion 1, peeled and diced
  • Garlic 3 cloves, peeled, halved and sliced
  • Air-dried ham 8 slices, cut into strips
  • Fish stock 300ml
  • Double cream 250ml
  • Courgettes 3, finely sliced with a mandoline
  • Tarragon 1 tbsp, chopped
  • Flat-leaf parsley 1 tbsp, chopped
  • Dill 1 tbsp, chopped
  • Chives 1 tbsp, chopped
  • Lemon 1, finely grated zest and juice
  • Dijon mustard 2 tbsp
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  1. For the sauce: heat a medium pan over a medium heat with the oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 3 minutes to soften. Add the ham and cook for a further 4 minutes until it’s starting to crisp.
  2. Pour in the fish stock, bring to a simmer and let it bubble until reduced by half. Add the cream, bring back to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes until the sauce starts to thicken.
  3. Place the sliced courgettes in a bowl and add the herbs, with half of the lemon zest and juice. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and toss well.
  4. To finish the sauce, add the remaining lemon juice and mustard and season with a little salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then taste and adjust the seasoning. Set aside while you cook the fish.
  5. For the fish: preheat the grill to high. Cut the bass fillets in half to give 4 equal portions and place skin side up on a grill tray. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle on the remaining lemon zest and season with salt and pepper. Grill for 5–7 minutes.
  6. Give the courgettes another toss and then drain in a colander set over a bowl to collect the dressing. Remove the fish from the grill and leave to rest and finish cooking on the tray for 1 minute.
  7. Spoon the sauce onto 4 warmed plates. Pile two-thirds of the courgettes in the centre and lay a portion of bass on top. Arrange the remaining courgette ribbons on the fish and finish with a spoonful or two of the dressing.

Supported by

FOOD Magazine issue 187

You will need

  • Bass 1, gutted, scaled, filleted and pin-boned
  • Olive oil 2 tbsp
  • Onion 1, peeled and diced
  • Garlic 3 cloves, peeled, halved and sliced
  • Air-dried ham 8 slices, cut into strips
  • Fish stock 300ml
  • Double cream 250ml
  • Courgettes 3, finely sliced with a mandoline
  • Tarragon 1 tbsp, chopped
  • Flat-leaf parsley 1 tbsp, chopped
  • Dill 1 tbsp, chopped
  • Chives 1 tbsp, chopped
  • Lemon 1, finely grated zest and juice
  • Dijon mustard 2 tbsp
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

  1. For the sauce: heat a medium pan over a medium heat with the oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 3 minutes to soften. Add the ham and cook for a further 4 minutes until it’s starting to crisp.
  2. Pour in the fish stock, bring to a simmer and let it bubble until reduced by half. Add the cream, bring back to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes until the sauce starts to thicken.
  3. Place the sliced courgettes in a bowl and add the herbs, with half of the lemon zest and juice. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and toss well.
  4. To finish the sauce, add the remaining lemon juice and mustard and season with a little salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then taste and adjust the seasoning. Set aside while you cook the fish.
  5. For the fish: preheat the grill to high. Cut the bass fillets in half to give 4 equal portions and place skin side up on a grill tray. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle on the remaining lemon zest and season with salt and pepper. Grill for 5–7 minutes.
  6. Give the courgettes another toss and then drain in a colander set over a bowl to collect the dressing. Remove the fish from the grill and leave to rest and finish cooking on the tray for 1 minute.
  7. Spoon the sauce onto 4 warmed plates. Pile two-thirds of the courgettes in the centre and lay a portion of bass on top. Arrange the remaining courgette ribbons on the fish and finish with a spoonful or two of the dressing.
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  • Bass 1, gutted, scaled, filleted and pin-boned
  • Olive oil 2 tbsp
  • Onion 1, peeled and diced
  • Garlic 3 cloves, peeled, halved and sliced
  • Air-dried ham 8 slices, cut into strips
  • Fish stock 300ml
  • Double cream 250ml
  • Courgettes 3, finely sliced with a mandoline
  • Tarragon 1 tbsp, chopped
  • Flat-leaf parsley 1 tbsp, chopped
  • Dill 1 tbsp, chopped
  • Chives 1 tbsp, chopped
  • Lemon 1, finely grated zest and juice
  • Dijon mustard 2 tbsp
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  1. For the sauce: heat a medium pan over a medium heat with the oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 3 minutes to soften. Add the ham and cook for a further 4 minutes until it’s starting to crisp.
  2. Pour in the fish stock, bring to a simmer and let it bubble until reduced by half. Add the cream, bring back to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes until the sauce starts to thicken.
  3. Place the sliced courgettes in a bowl and add the herbs, with half of the lemon zest and juice. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and toss well.
  4. To finish the sauce, add the remaining lemon juice and mustard and season with a little salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then taste and adjust the seasoning. Set aside while you cook the fish.
  5. For the fish: preheat the grill to high. Cut the bass fillets in half to give 4 equal portions and place skin side up on a grill tray. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle on the remaining lemon zest and season with salt and pepper. Grill for 5–7 minutes.
  6. Give the courgettes another toss and then drain in a colander set over a bowl to collect the dressing. Remove the fish from the grill and leave to rest and finish cooking on the tray for 1 minute.
  7. Spoon the sauce onto 4 warmed plates. Pile two-thirds of the courgettes in the centre and lay a portion of bass on top. Arrange the remaining courgette ribbons on the fish and finish with a spoonful or two of the dressing.

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