ROAST SEA BASS WITH POTATOES, FENNEL & TOMATOES

Serves 4

● 1 onion, sliced

● 5 garlic cloves

● 1 fennel bulb, cut into wedges

● 1kg (2lb 4oz) waxy potatoes, thinly sliced ● 2tbsp olive oil

● Juice of 1 lemon

● 2 bay leaves

● 4 sprigs of thyme

● Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

● 1tsp caraway seeds

● 1tsp cumin seeds

● 1 sea bass, gutted, or ask your fishmonger to prepare

● 4 sprigs of rosemary

● 1 lemon, sliced

● 300g (10½oz) cherry tomatoes on the vine

● A small handful of flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. In a large roasting tray, place the sliced onion, garlic cloves, fennel wedges and sliced potatoes. Drizzle with the oil and lemon juice and then scatter with the bay leaves and half the thyme. Season well, cover with foil and place into the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes.

After 30-35 minutes, remove the tray from the oven and take off the foil. Sprinkle with the caraway seeds and cumin seeds. Slash the fish five times on each side and then stuff the cavity with the rosemary, the remaining thyme, and some of the lemon slices. Place the fish on top of the potatoes and add any remaining lemon slices on top. Then place it back into the oven for a further 30 minutes.

When the fish has been cooking for 15 minutes, remove it from the oven and add the vine tomatoes around the fish. Place the tray back into the oven for the remaining 15 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven and sprinkle with the chopped parsley. Bring the tray to the table and let everyone serve themselves.