Crispy-skin blue-eye with burnt butter, yoghurt, spinach & pine nuts

SERVES 4

4 x 160g blue-eye trevalla fillets, or any other firm white-fleshed fish fillets, skin on

1 cup (260g) natural Greek-style yoghurt

1 clove garlic, finely grated 2 lemons, halved 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus an extra splash

200g baby spinach leaves 60g unsalted butter

¼ cup (40g) pine nuts pinch of sweet smoked paprika

½ cup (15g) flat-leaf parsley leaves (optional)

1 Place the fish fillets on a board, skin-side up. Gently run the back of a knife down the fish’s skin to release any moisture, then pat it dry with paper towel. If you have time, let the fish sit in the fridge, uncovered and skin-side up, for at least 2 hours to further dry out.

2 Combine the yoghurt, garlic, the juice of ½ lemon and some salt and pepper in a bowl. Set aside.

3 Season both sides of the fish with a little salt. Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium–high heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, then carefully add the fish, skin-side down. Season the flesh with pepper, then firmly press down on the fish with the back of a spatula for 10–20 seconds. Cover with a lid, reduce the heat to medium and cook for a further 3–4 minutes. This allows the flesh to cook gently and the skin to become very crispy. Keep a close eye on the fish, as the cooking time may vary slightly, depending on its thickness.

4 Turn off the heat, flip the fish over and let it rest in the pan for 1–2 minutes. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.

5 In a second frying pan, add a splash of olive oil, spinach, a pinch of salt and a splash of water. Cover with a lid and cook over medium heat until the spinach is wilted, about 30 seconds. Remove the spinach from the heat and drain using a sieve, then transfer to a bowl and set aside.

6 Discard any oil from the first frying pan and add the butter and pine nuts. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until golden, about 2 minutes. Add the paprika, the juice of ½ lemon and a little salt. Gently combine half of this butter and pine-nut mixture with the spinach.

7 Spoon the yoghurt onto serving plates. Top with the spinach, a grind of pepper and the fish. Drizzle with the remaining butter and pine-nut mixture. Serve with the parsley (if using) and the remaining lemon juice squeezed over.