Sea Bass with Puy Lentil Salsa & Mashed Black-eyed Beancakes with Ginger Onion Marmalade

Last night Colin divvied up Sea Bass with Puy Lentil Salsa & Mashed Black-eyed Beancakes with Ginger Onion Marmalade. The beancakes and ginger onion marmalade was delicious. The sea bass was good but I feel lacked a sauce such as a parsley and caper sauce to set it off. I would also pan fry the fish with a knob of butter and a little white wine rather than cook it under the grill. Nevertheless, it was an enjoyable meal and everyone left a clean plate. Here's the break-down:

Sea Bass with Puy Lentil Salsa


















[Serves 2]

Ingredients

2 sea bass fillets, each weighing 7-8 oz (200-225 g)
1 teaspoon olive oil
½ lime, cut into wedges
sea salt and freshly milled black pepper

For the lentil salsa:

40g Puy lentils, rinsed
1 large tomato
¼ medium red onion, peeled
1 small red chilli, halved and deseeded
2 tablespoons fresh coriander leaves
juice 1 lime
salt and freshly milled black pepper

Method

1. Place lentils in a small saucepan with 120ml water and some salt, bringing them up to boiling point and then gently simmering for about 30 minutes until

2. While the lentils are cooking, skin the tomato, then halve it and squeeze out the seeds and chop it into small pieces.

3. Chop the onion, coriander and chilli finely and keep to the side.

4. When the lentils are cooked, empty them into a bowl and squeeze in the lime juice mixing well and leave aside.

5. To cook the sea bass, pre-heat the grill to its highest setting. Line a grill tray with kitchen foil, brush the fish on both sides with oil and place them on the tray flesh-side up. Season with salt and freshly milled black pepper, then grill for 5-6 minutes, turning halfway through until cooked through.

6. Serve straightaway with the salsa and some lime wedges to squeeze over.


Mashed Black-eyed Beancakes with Ginger Onion Marmalade


















[Serves 4]

Ingredients

110g black-eyed beans
110g green lentils
1 bay leaf
1 level teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, plus 2 sprigs
5-6 tablespoons olive oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
1 small red pepper, de-seeded and finely chopped
1 green chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 level tablespoon sun-dried tomato paste
2 level tablespoons wholewheat flour
salt and freshly milled black pepper

For the ginger onion marmalade:

1 rounded dessertspoon freshly grated ginger
350g onions
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 rosemary sprigs
225ml dry white wine
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 level tablespoons soft dark brown sugar
salt and freshly milled black pepper
Method

1. The black-eyed beans will need soaked – this can be done by covering them with twice their volume of cold water and boiling for 10 minutes and then leaving to soak for 2 hours. The green lentils won't need soaking.

2. The marmalade is made by peeling and slicing the onions into ¼ inch rings. Then taking a medium-sized saucepan and heat the olive oil. When it's hot, add the onions and the rosemary, stir well, and toss the onions around till they're golden and tinged brown at the edges.

3. Pour in the white wine and white wine vinegar followed by the brown sugar and the grated ginger, stir and bring everything up to simmering point. Add salt and pepper, then turn the heat down to low again and let everything simmer very gently for 60-75 minutes until all the liquid has almost disappeared. Remove the rosemary, pour everything into a serving bowl and you can serve it warm.

4. To make the beancakes, once the soaking is done, take a medium-sized saucepan, add the drained beans and the lentils, then pour a pint of water, add the bay leaf and sprigs of thyme, then bring everything up to a gentle simmer and let them cook for about 40-45 minutes, by which time all the water should have been absorbed and the beans and lentils will be completely soft. If there's any liquid still left, drain them in a colander. Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Now you need to mash them to a pulp and you can do this using a fork, potato masher or electric hand whisk. After that give them a really good seasoning with salt and freshly milled black pepper and put a clean tea cloth over them to stop them becoming dry.

5. Take a really large frying pan, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then heat it over a medium heat and add the onion, carrot, pepper, chilli and garlic. Sauté them all together for about 6 minutes, moving them around the pan to soften and turn golden brown at the edges.

6. Mix all the vegetables into the mashed bean and lentil mixture, add the chopped thyme and tomato paste, then dampen your hands and form the mixture into round cakes measuring approximately 2-3 inches in diameter. Then place them on a plate or a lightly oiled tray, cover with clingfilm and keep them in the refrigerator for 1 hour minimum.

7. When you're ready to serve the beancakes, coat them lightly with wholewheat flour seasoned with salt and freshly milled black pepper, then heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. When it is really hot, reduce the heat to medium and fry the beancakes in two batches for 3 minutes on each side until they're crisp and golden, adding more oil if needed.

8. Serve garnished with sprigs of watercress and the ginger onion marmalade.