Crispy Skin Bass with Walnut Pesto Spuds

30 Minutes

〰️

30 Minutes 〰️

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 2 Bass fillets, with skin (or white fleshy fish of choice)

• Oil for frying

• 300g baby potatoes, boiled until soft

• Slices of Lemon to serve

Walnut Pesto:

• 2 cups basil, chopped and packed

• 2 cups Tuscan kale (or any kale), chopped and packed

• 2 small garlic cloves (or 1 large one)

• Juice of 1 lemon

• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

• 1/4 cup walnuts

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

• Salt and pepper, to taste

Method

Prepare the Spuds: Boil the potatoes in a pot of water until they are soft, roughly 10 minutes. Once cooked drain and set aside.

Make the Pesto: While the potatoes cook make the pesto, In a blender or food processor, combine the basil, kale, garlic, lemon juice, Parmesan, walnuts, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth, adjusting the seasoning as needed. Mix a few spoonfuls of the pesto to generously coat the potatoes.

Prepare the Fish: Ensure the bass skin is thoroughly dried with paper towels. This is crucial for achieving that desirable crispy skin. Heat a splash of oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, place the fillet skin-side down in the pan. Press down with the back of a spatula or a fish weight to keep the skin in full contact with the pan, ensuring it crisps up evenly. Cook for about 4 minutes, then flip and cook for an additional 2 minutes or until the fish is just cooked through. The skin should be golden and crispy.

Assemble the Dish: On each plate, divide up the pesto-coated potatoes. Top with the crispy skin bass, skin-side up to maintain its crispiness.

Notes

If short on time, simply buy some fresh pesto from the supermarket, look for the pesto in the fridge section.