Steamed Seabass in a Bag

This dish is light and summery. We are lucky enough to have Thanet Earth tomatoes up the road from the Minster restaurant and they produce amazing heritage tomatoes that are bursting with flavour. This dish is also very healthy and can be cooked at home quickly and easily. Top Tip: Always serve tomatoes at room temperature and never from the fridge. The difference in flavour is incredible.

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Dish Difficulty: Easy

Serves: 4

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Ingredients

4 seabass fillets

1 fennel

2 banana shallots, finely chopped

1⁄2 bunch tarragon, finely chopped

1 lemon, finely sliced1 bunch dill

1 bottle Biddenden cider (or alternative good quality dry cider)

100g butter

500g heritage tomatoes, ideally Thanet Earth

500g new potatoes

50ml rapeseed oilSherry vinegar, just a dash

Salt and pepper

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Preparation

1. Firstly get the new potatoes on the go. Place in a pan with cold water and a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 15 minutes until they are cooked, pierce with a knife to check. Once cooked allow to cool naturally. Slice in half, drizzle with rapeseed oil, season and bake in the oven for 15 minutes until golden and crisp.

2. To make the steaming bags, roll out tin foil and baking paper to 60cm. Put the foil on top of the baking paper and fold in half, then half and half and half until you have made an origami fan. Slice the end off with scissors and open up all 4 bags.

3. Slice the fennel super thin, ideally on a mandolin and put straight into ice water. This makes the fennel go beautifully crispy and perfect for the tomato salad. Put aside.

4. Put 2 pieces of sliced lemon in the centre of each of the bags. Cover with dill, a knob of butter and a couple of slices of fennel on top.

5. Lightly season your seabass and place on top of the fennel, skin-side on top.

6. Fold back in half the bag and seal up the ends. Place a swig of Biddenden cider (or alternative good quality dry cider) in the bag and seal.

7. Place on baking trays in the oven at 180°C for 12 minutes.

8. Whilst the seabass is steaming in the oven, slice up the heritage tomatoes in different shapes and sizes. Lightly mix in a bowl with the shallots, fennel and tarragon. Add a little rapeseed oil, a dash of sherry vinegar and seasoning to taste.

9. To serve, place the seabass on top of the roasted new potatoes and position the tomato salad on the side. We put a few pea shoots on top of ours, which adds a lovely fresh flavour. However, you can use a little frisee lettuce instead.