Hands-on guide to healthy eating

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Start with the fennel, cutting the top off then peeling the outside stringy part. Heat a pan, add a little olive oil and colour the fennel all around, taking care not to burn the oil. When the fennel is evenly coloured, add the white wine, thyme, garlic and vegetable oil.

You are looking to half-cover the fennel bulbs, then cover the mixture with a sheet of greaseproof paper and bake in the oven for 1½ hours, turning it over every 15 minutes or so.

When cooked, cool down and drain the stock into a bowl, then cut the fennel in half into nice even wedges. Pass the remaining stock through a fine sieve and keep to reheat the fennel – when you are ready to do this, it is best to add a little butter. Cut the baby leeks into nice small batons. You can do the same with the courgette or use a speed peeler and slice longways to make them ribbon-like. Cook in boiling salted water for a couple of minutes, then refresh in iced salted water, draining as soon as they are cold.

Chop the chives finely. Cut the sea bream in half then season on both sides. Place skin side up on a baking tray with a little olive oil. Put under the grill to cook, getting the skin nice and golden brown and crisp on top.

Reheat the fennel in the sauce, then take it out and place on the centre of the plate, then the sea bream fillets on the fennel. Add a few ribbons of the courgette and the leeks, then add the chives to the remaining sauce and drizzle all around.

Brian Maule at Chardon d’Or Restaurant, 176 West Regent St. Glasgow, G2 4RL Telephone 0141 248 3801 email: info@ brianmaule.com website: www.brianmaule.com

SERVICE

Pretty much all in white and the size of a shoebox, yet clean, crisp and reasonably cosy

4/5