Seabass with Pumpkin_Chef and Restauranteur Ronnie Murray

To feed 4, , Cooking time 10 minutes, Preparation time around 30 minutes

4 fillets of skin on sea bass

100g plain flour

80g butter

1 large pumpkin or butternut squash, de seeded and cut into quarters

2 sprigs of rosemary

200ml good olive oil or cold pressed rapeseed oil

Wild rocket leaves or any bitter garden grown salad leaf

60g dried walnut halves or pieces

60g pumpkin seeds

1 handful of chives

1 small red chilli

Flaked sea salt and cracked black pepper

Dressing

Place the below in an empty jam and shake well. This is a delicious very easy dressing great for salads and things.

30g HP brown sauce

100ml good olive oil or cold pressed rapeseed oil

Method

Peel the pumpkin or squash

For the Shaved pumpkin, take one quarter and using a peeler shave the flesh into long strips. Place the strips into ice cold water.

For the roasted roasted pumpkin

Chop the rosemary and put to one side. With another one quarter of the pumpkin cut it into roughly 2cm pieces, place on a roasting tray drizzle with about 30ml of good olive oil or cold pressed rapeseed oil, sprinkle the rosemary over and season. Roast in the oven at 180°c until soft but still holding its shape.

Whipped pumpkin

With the remaining pumpkin chop it into roughly 4cm pieces place on a roasting tray drizzle with about 30ml of good olive oil or cold pressed rapeseed oil and season. Roast in the oven at 180°c until soft and starting to break down. When cooked place in a blender add about 100ml of good olive oil or cold pressed rapeseed oil, whip until smooth (you may need a add more oil just depends on how dry your pumpkin is, but be careful not to make it too oily) taste, re-season if needed.

Relish

Put the remaining good olive oil or cold pressed rapeseed oil in a bowl. Put the walnuts and pumpkin seeds on a baking tray, drizzle with a

little oil, season. Roast in the oven at 180°c for about 4 minutes. Place the nuts and seeds into the bowl of oil. Finely chop the chilli and

chives, mix all together. Season

Bass

Spread the plain flour onto a baking tray. Using a sharp knife score the skin of the bass 3 times (this will help to stop the fish from curling up in the frying pan).

Season the bass. Dip the bass into the flour, turn the fish over in the flour so the whole fillet has a good covering, shake off any excess flour.

Put a non-stick frying pan onto the heat. When hot but not smoking add a drizzle of olive oil or cold pressed rapeseed oil and place the fish into the pan skin side down. Cook for about 3-4 minutes, check the skin is nice and crispy. Turn the fish over and add the butter, cook for 1-2 minutes.

Plating the dish

Spoon the whipped pumpkin onto the middle of the plate. Put the bass on the middle of the whipped pumpkin, place the roasted pieces of pumpkin around the outside. Then drain the water from the shaved pumpkin, pat dry with a clean tea towel and put into a bowl.

Dress with the HP dressing, add the wild rocket leaves and toss. Place a nice handful on top of the bass, spoon over some of the relish to finish.