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Sweet and sour fish with Sicilian orange salad

Matt Tebbutt recipe

Preparation time
less than 30 mins

Cooking time
10 to 30 mins

Serves
Serves 2

By Matt Tebbutt
From Saturday Kitchen

 

Ingredients

For the Sea Bass:

  • Olive oil: 60ml (4 tbsp)
  • Onions, thinly sliced: 2
  • Garlic cloves, thinly sliced: 3
  • Caster sugar: 1 tsp
  • Moscatel vinegar: 125ml (4fl oz)
  • Raisins, soaked in warm water: 50g (1¾oz)
  • Sea bass fillets, pin-boned and skin scored (2 x 200g/7oz each)
  • Pine nuts, toasted: 50g (1¾oz)
  • Fresh flatleaf parsley, leaves only (a handful)

For the Salad:

  • Oranges, peeled and segmented (1 peel retained for blanching): 3
  • Fennel bulb, thinly sliced: 1
  • Olive oil: 2 tbsp
  • Fresh flatleaf parsley, leaves only (a handful)
  • Fresh mint, leaves only (small bunch)
  • Dried oregano (preferably Sicilian): Pinch
  • Pink peppercorns: 1 tbsp
  • Baby capers: 3 tbsp
  • Large caper berries on stalks: 8
  • Whole anchovies, packed in salt, roughly chopped: 4
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Alternative Ingredients

If you’re looking for an alternative to Moscatel vinegar, here are some options you can consider:

  1. Sherry Vinegar: Sherry vinegar has a sweet and fruity character, making it a good substitute for Moscatel vinegar
  2. Apple Cider Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar is mild with a subtle hint of apple flavor. While it won’t have the exact same nutty and briny character as Moscatel vinegar, it can work as a replacement
  3. White Wine Vinegar: White wine vinegar has a similar acidity to Moscatel vinegar but lacks the fruity notes. It’s another suitable substitute

When substituting for sea bass, you have several flavourful options to choose from:

  1. Seabream:
    • Sea bream is a popular fish, especially in Europe.
    • It has white flakes and a rich, delicate texture similar to sea bass.
    • Use it for fillets or cook the whole fish—marinate, roast, or prepare it as you like
  2. Salmon:
    • Salmon is a common substitute for sea bass.
    • It’s considered healthier and can be used in most recipes that call for sea bass.
    • Salmon has a mild flavor and pairs well with various preparations

Method

  1. Prepare the Sea Bass:
    • Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
    • Gently cook the onions and garlic for 10 minutes, ensuring they don’t color.
    • Add the sugar, vinegar, raisins, and 50ml (2fl oz) water to the pan.
  2. Cook the Fish:
    • In another clean frying pan, heat the remaining olive oil over medium-high heat.
    • Place the sea bass fillets, skin-side down, and fry for 2–3 minutes.
  3. Combine the Ingredients:
    • Add the parsley and pine nuts to the onions and garlic.
    • Place the cooked fish, skin-side up, on top of the onion mixture.
    • Continue cooking over medium heat for an additional 2 minutes or until the fish is cooked through.
  4. Prepare the Salad:
    • To make the salad, blanch the zest of 1 orange in boiling water for 5 minutes.
    • Remove from heat and, once cool, julienne the zest.
    • In a large bowl, combine the julienned zest with the remaining salad ingredients. Toss well and season with salt and pepper.
  5. Serve:
    • Serve the sea bass fillets with the sauce and salad on the side.
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