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Serves two. Cava Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar, 51 Lower Dominick Street, Galway.
YOU WILL NEED
For the seabass 500g salt
15g fennel seeds, toasted
2 egg whites
2 bay leaves
1 seabass For the fennel 2 bulbs organic fennel, stalks removed and reserved, bulbs sliced into wedges
250ml fish stock For the salmorejo 1 garlic clove
250g tomatoes
50g crusty bread
30ml extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp sherry vinegar
50ml mineral water
Sea salt
Method
Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. To make the crust for the fish, mix the salt with the fennel seeds, egg whites and bay leaves. Trim the fish and place on a well-oiled tray, then cover it with the crust.
Place the fish in the oven for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, fry the fennel until lightly browned and then cover with the fish stock. Simmer until the fennel is soft, but still has a bite to it.
To make the salmorejo, blend all of the ingredients in a food processor. Add more mineral water if you require a thinner sauce.
When the fish is cooked, crack open the salt crust and serve with the braised fennel and salmorejo. Dress with some fennel fronds.
