Fish Figures

As one born by the sea side, it's no surprise that fish has been a regular feature at my meal times. I don't understand the reluctance of many friends in UK (as the home of fish and chips) who balk at serving seafood. Some say that their house will smell, others are not confident about the preparation and cooking. In fact it's very easy....with nothing but hunger arousing aromas.

The combination of fennel and sea bream is irresistible

This sea bream and fennel dish takes only 10 minutes to prepare and 4 to cook in the oven. Serve with a salad of beef tomatoes, fresh figs and basil for a nutritious and satisfying meal without excessive carbo and calories. Every ingredient was from a local supermarket and prepared ready to cook. This reminds me of Indonesian basil (similar to Greek or Italian which are available - but different to Thai basil). Ironically in Indonesia we generally cook with fennel seeds only and not the whole plant, so this recipe was a refreshing change. Fish really does make sense!

A visual sensation this salad of beef tomatoes, fresh figs, olive oil and sprigs of basil is a perfect companion for fish.

Buy fresh from a trusted fishmonger or supermarket and have them gut and clean the fish for you.

If you like, some new potatoes and butter is a winning addition.