Method
Begin by preparing your Sea Bass Fillets. It’s very important all the scales and pin bones are removed; this makes eating fish so much more pleasurable. Ask your fishmonger to do this for you. Once this is done, score the fillets down the back slightly through the skin, this will prevent the fillet from curling as it cooks and will also help the fillet cook evenly throughout.
Before cooking the fish get the potatoes on. Place them into a pot of cold water along with any old herbs you might have and a little pinch of salt. Bring them to a gentle simmer and continue to simmer for about 14 minutes, they should have a slight bite to them when they have finished. Gently remove them from the water so they keep their shape and allow them to sit until you are ready to use them.
Now you can move on to the cauliflower puree. Cut the cauliflower into small, even sized florets. Place in a pot with the water, cream and a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15min or until the cauliflower is soft and easy to crush. Pour into a jug blender and blend until smooth. Set to one side ready for use.
Choose either a small pot with oil or your deep fat fryer at a high heat. Mix the tempura and ice water ready. Cut the oysters in half and coat in a little more tempura flour before dipping I the batter. Drop them carefully into the hot oil and fry quickly just until they begin to float. Remove from the oil, season and set to one side.
Heat a nonstick pan, not too hot! Drizzle with a little olive oil. Drizzle each side of the sea bass fillets also and season lightly. Place them skin side down on the pan and shake the pan gentle continuously as you place them down. This will prevent the fish from sticking. Cook until golden brown on the skin side, about 2 minutes and turn over. Now add the butter to the pan and based the fillets as it melts. Now squeeze the lemon over the fillets and remove the pan from the heat, this should only take another 2-3 minutes. Remove the fish from the pan and place onto kitchen paper to catch the extra butter.
For the wild garlic simply add all of the ingredients into a jug blender and blend until a fine smooth liquid.
To assemble: Heat the potato with a little butter and the Romanesco broccoli which you can just pre blanch in a little salt water. Smear a large spoon of cauliflower puree around the edge of the plate. Run a couple of lines of the potatoes down the centre and place the fish on top of these. Place the Romanesco around the edges and interspace the oysters between. Drizzle a little wild garlic around along with a little shallot butter or similar. Now garnish with a few fresh watercress leaves.
Enjoy!
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