Crisp-Skinned Sea Bass with Mussels in Cider & Chive Broth

⏱ 35 min · Serves 2

A little bit of the Normandy coast on a plate: plump mussels steamed open in dry cider, their liquor enriched with cream and showered with chives, all crowned by fillets of sea bass with skin like glass. It looks like a restaurant plate but comes together in half an hour.

Per serving: 615 kcal · 45.0g protein · 14.0g carbs · 38.0g fat

Ingredients

• 2 sea bass fillets (about 130g each), skin on, pin-boned
• 400g live mussels, scrubbed and debearded
• 200ml dry cider
• 1 banana shallot, finely diced
• 1 small garlic clove, finely sliced
• 20g cold unsalted butter, diced
• 60ml double cream
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 small fennel bulb, finely sliced (optional)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp finely snipped chives
• Squeeze of lemon juice
• Flaky sea salt and white pepper
• Crusty bread, to serve

Method

1. Tap any open mussels; discard those that don't close, plus any with broken shells.
2. Heat a splash of the olive oil in a deep pan over a medium heat. Soften the shallot, garlic and fennel for 4-5 minutes without colouring.
3. Turn the heat to high, add the mussels and cider, cover and steam for 3 minutes until the shells open. Tip into a bowl, discarding any that stay shut. Pick most mussels from their shells, keeping a few in shell for looks.
4. Strain the cooking liquor back into the pan through a fine sieve. Bubble hard for 3-4 minutes to reduce by about a third, then whisk in the Dijon and cream. Simmer 2 minutes, then whisk in the cold butter a piece at a time to glossy. Keep warm off the heat.
5. Pat the sea bass skin bone dry and season it well with salt. Heat the remaining oil in a non-stick pan until shimmering. Lay the fillets in skin-side down, pressing flat with a fish slice for 20 seconds.
6. Cook for 3-4 minutes without moving, until the skin is crisp and the flesh has turned opaque three-quarters of the way up. Flip, cook 30-45 seconds, then rest skin-side up.
7. Return the mussels to the broth for 30 seconds to warm through, add the chives, a squeeze of lemon and white pepper to taste.
8. Spoon the mussels and broth into warm shallow bowls, sit the bass on top skin-side up, scatter with a few more chives and serve with bread for mopping.