Coppi’s Zesty Sea Bass

Cool Cathedral Quarter restaurant Coppi is the last stop on the brilliant Belfast Food Tour – and it’s a place foodies want to linger. Re-create the vibe at home with this simple yet sensational sea bass recipe.

Coppi?s grilled sea bass Romagna style, warm pancetta and potato insalata
Serves 2

YOU WILL NEED
? 2 sea bass fillets, descaled and deboned
? 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs (coarse)
? 2 cloves garlic
? juice and zest of 1 lemon
? 1 tsp thyme, picked
? 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
? sea salt and ground black pepper
For the salad
? 1 cup cooked new potatoes (sliced in half)
? 4 tbsp pancetta lardons
? 4 tbsp mayonnaise
? juice of half a lemon
? 1 tbsp fresh mint, parsley, chives (all chopped roughly)
? 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
? 2 tbsp spring onions chopped finely

METHOD
1 Marinate the sea bass with olive oil, a little salt and pepper, garlic, lemon and thyme (skin side up).
2 Sprinkle over the breadcrumbs roughly until you can no longer see the flesh of the fish.
3 Fry the pancetta in a hot pan until crispy, add sliced potatoes and remove from heat immediately; toss pancetta and potatoes together with a spoon.
4 Add the remaining ingredients besides the mayonnaise and let cool a little until room temperature. At this stage add the mayonnaise and correct the seasoning.
5 Bake the sea bass in a hot oven for 15-20 minutes until cooked through and the crumbs are golden.
6 Plate the potatoes and finish with the sea bass and a slice of fresh lemon to squeeze over.

Coppi, 2 Saint Anne’s Square, Cathedral Quarter, 048 9031 1959; coppi.co.uk; belfastfoodtour.com.

Finish off this delicious dish with a virtuous dessert: Lilly Higgins’ sugar-free, dairy-free chocolate ice cream.

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