Red Snapper with Fennel, Tapenade and Sauce Vierge

Make the Sauce Vierge  Recipe   preferably an hour or so before serving. Make the Tapenade  Recipe  .

Use a knife to scour the fish by lightly scraping from tail to head washing off scales under cold water. Remove head and tail, cut off fillets and cut into two  Picture  . Keep the bones, head etc for stock. Note that your fishmonger could do all this.

Trim the outer leaves from the fennel and cut off four thinnish slices. Season with salt and pepper and steam for a bare five minutes so that the fennel is softened a little but still al dente.

Meanwhile season the fish pieces with salt and pepper. Put a tablespoonful of olive oil in an ovenproof pan and put over a medium heat. When the oil is fat cook the fish for about two minutes per side. Put in the oven at 300°F/150°C/Reg2 to keep warm and finish off for a few minutes.

Compose the dish by laying the fennel slices on each serving dishes with a spatula. Put a piece of fish on the fennel and then some tapenade on each piece. Carefully spoon some Sauce Vierge around the fennel  Zoom   (very nice!).