Seabass a la Plancha

Peel and finely chop the shallots, put in a thick bottomed saucepan along with a tablespoonful of olive oil, and soften but not brown for five minutes or so. Add a glass of white wine and reduce. Take off the heat, add the single cream and crème fraîche, and season with salt and pepper. Grind up a few strands of saffron in a pestle and mortar and stir into the sauce  Picture  , set to one side.

Clean the potatoes and cook in boiling water for 15 minutes or so, drain and allow to cool, then cut into slices just less than centimetre thick. Shorten the broccoli shoot stems a little and then cut in half lengthways right through the shoot. Wash the seabass fillets under the tap and dry well with some kitchen paper.

Put the potato and broccoli slices in a bowl and coat with olive oil using your hands, season both well with salt and pepper. Coat the seabags fillets with olive oil using a pastry bush and season with salt and pepper.

Set the plancha to moderately low, add the potatoes making sure each one is face down on the griddle and cook turning frequently until brown then put in a dish to keep warm. Similarly add the broccoli and cook turning frequently until the stalks are tenderish try not to brown, then remove to a dish to keep warm. Add the seabass fillets to the griddle with the outer skin sides face down. Cook for about four minutes or so moving from time to time then turn and cook for two or three minutes. Check that the fish is cooked through with a knife and if so remove from the heat  Picture  .

Meanwhile rewarm the saffron sauce, put the broccoli and potatoes on to serving plates, put the fish on top, spoon over some sauce and serve immediately  Zoom  .