BLACK bream is not a fish people automatically think off when planning a trip to the fishmongers. But it’s worth it with its sweet, white, firm flesh.

Normally a summer-months fish when caught from boats, it’s also farmed and so is available all year around. It’s also relatively inexpensive but it’s important to remove the scales before cooking. You can do that with the blunt side of a knife or, maybe more sensibly, get the fishmonger to do it.

This recipe has dry-roasted vegetables as an accompaniment; a process that intensifies their depth of flavour and provides a nice contrast to the fish.

INGREDIENTS
Serves four

Four black bream fillets
Two large carrots
Two large parsnips
A couple of handfuls of mixed salad leaves
The juice of one lemon
Sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
A little vegetable oil for shallow frying

METHOD

Pre-heat the oven to 130C (gas mark 1)

Peel the carrots and parsnips and cut into 1cm square batons about 8cm long. Place on a grill rack and dry-roast them for 20 to 30 minutes which allows the flesh to be softened and sweetened. Remove and leave to cool.

Place the bream fillets onto a baking tray and sprinkle a little salt onto the skin. This draws moisture out of the skin and allows it to crisp.

Heat a large frying pan, add a little oil and place the fillets in the pan, skin side down, and cook until the skin is golden brown, lifting the edge with a pallet knife to check. Then, turn the fillets over and immediately remove from the heat. The residual heat in the pan will continue to cook the fish and finish it off.

Mix the roast vegetables with the salad leaves and lemon juice in a large bowl, season with a little salt and black pepper. Pile onto plates and top with the bream fillets.