This fennel puree is quite stunning and well worth making. I think you could use many different varieties of fish with it, but I tend to use salmon as it’s easy to get
SERVES 6
FOR THE FENNEL PURÉE
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 tsp fennel seeds
1/3 tsp ground fennel seeds
2 pinches dried chilli flakes
2 medium onions, peeled and finely sliced
4 large fennel bulbs, trimmed and thinly sliced, with green fronds reserved
2 large garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
250ml dry white wine
150ml double cream
1–2tbsp lemon juice
FOR THE SALMON
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
6 thick salmon fillets, skin on, about 175g each
TO SERVE
1 lemon, quartered
Baby potatoes and a green salad
Step 1
To make the fennel purée, heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the fennel seeds, ground fennel, chili flakes, onions and 1 tsp salt. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the onions start to soften.
Step 2
Add the sliced fennel and cook for another 35 -45 minutes, stirring often, until it has softened and is starting to caramelize in places. Add the garlic and white wine, turn up the heat and cook until the wine has evaporated.
Step 3
Pour in the cream and bubble away for a few minutes more to thicken, then tip into a blender, add 2–3 tsp of the lemon juice and purée until smooth. Taste and adjust the salt and lemon (you may need only a little more lemon juice or twice as much, depending on the acidity of the wine), then add a few grindings of black pepper. Put to one side and keep warm.
Step 4
To cook the salmon, heat 4 tbsp oil in a large non-stick frying pan until it starts to shimmer. Season the salmon fillets well on both sides with salt and lemon pepper and add to the pan, skin side down. Leave to cook over a low-medium heat for 4–5 minutes, until the skin is crisp (check after a couple of minutes to make sure the skin is not burning), then turn the fillets over and cook for 1–2 minutes more, until cooked most of the way through, but still a little pink in the middle.
Step 5
To serve, spoon a mound of purée on to six plates and place a fillet on top of each one. Drizzle with more olive oil, scatter with the reserved fennel fronds and add a turn of black pepper.
Serve with lemon quarters for squeezing, buttered baby potatoes and a simply dressed salad.