Barbecue sea bream with asparagus, herb hollandaise and lardo di colonnata
30 MINUTES | SERVES 3 | EASY
egg yolks 3 white wine vinegar 2 tbsp
unsalted butter 200g
chives and chervil a small bunch of each, chopped
flat-leaf parsley, tarragon and basil a small bunch of each, leaves picked
olive oil 100ml, plus extra to serve
whole sea bream 400-500g, gutted and cleaned (ask your fishmonger to do this)
asparagus 4 large spears, cut into 1cm pieces
lardo di colonnata 4 slices
lemon 1, juiced
1 Bring a medium pan of water to a simmer over a high heat. Place a metal bowl over the top, ensuring the base doesn’t touch the water. Tip in the egg yolks, with a splash of water and the white wine vinegar. Whisk continuously, ensuring the yolks don’t scramble (keep the water at a gentle simmer and remove the bowl from the pan if it gets too hot). When the mixture is light in colour and has thickened, remove from the heat.
2 Melt the butter in a small pan. Slowly pour the butter into the eggs, whisking continuously until you have a thick, glossy hollandaise. Season with sea salt and fold in the chives and chervil. Cover and set aside until needed.
3 Bring a pan of water to the boil. Add the parsley, tarragon and basil for 30 seconds, then remove and place directly into a bowl of iced water. Once cold, squeeze out any excess water and roughly chop. Blitz in a blender, then slowly add the olive oil and half the lemon juice, blending until smooth. Season with salt, then pour into a bowl.
4 Light a barbecue. Season the fish inside and out with salt. Barbecue over a medium heat, turning regularly for 6-7 minutes. Cook until lightly charred on both sides. If you haven't got a fish cage, lay two sheets of foil onto the grill of the barbecue and use a spatula to carefully turn the fish.
5 Cook the asparagus in a pan of salted boiling water for 1 minute, then drain and dress in a little olive oil. Lay the lardo slices over the fish, then spoon a little of the herb oil over and scatter over the asparagus. Squeeze over the remaining lemon juice and garnish with the a few extra herbs. Serve with the hollandaise sauce on the side.