A part of my New Year resolution, which was to follow my GP advice and eat less red meat, I have started to discover how joyful and light at the same time can be cooking some fish for dinner. This option will be my healthy food wine pairing, or several of them.
Let’s start with something simple. Cut aubergine into 3cm disks and then grill them (I prefer them to be soft, but not mushy). Pan fry a few fillets of sea bass (I have used coconut oil, because it is healthier than olive oil, which doesn’t really tolerate high temperatures – find it in Waitrose or Planet Organic) on a very hot non-stick pan skin side down for 1 minute or slightly more so the skin is crispy-ish and then turn it whilst also turning off gas (it does need just a bit of further cooking, so you hot pan will do the job). Serve it with the drizzle of olive oil (or, again, coconut oil if you do not want to mix) and some onion slices, which were quickly softened earlier. It is not even Jamie’s 15 minute meals – it is quicker than that!
If you want some colour and freshness from vegetables, get yourself a vegetable spiraliser or simply julienne peeler and after preparing some carrots, courgettes and onions, just lightly saute them in the pan to soften (again, soft, but not mushy), make a dressing of your choice and serve.
It is clean, bright and healthy, watch your fingers when prepping veg, I am so clumsy with it!
For the ones, who want an extra healthy meal (a Paleo diet, anyone?), stop after prepping the veg, and then instead of softening on the pan, opt for a quick marinade: mix 3 parts of olive oil, 1 part of red or white wine vinegar with seasoning, a 1/4 tsp of mustard is optional, but will add some extra zing to it. If you are not a fan of vinegar, replace it with lemon juice.
I have used sea bream in this example as it is slightly meatier than sea bass.
This dinner cannot be possibly be that good without wine.
For these bright, light and vibrant fish dishes I have chosen a local Danbury white wine, made from a rare (cross) German grape Schonburger. It is being produced in Stockbridge, Hampshire, so you get to support local producers and hopefully enjoy the wine.
It is vibrant with lemon and lime notes, apple flavours and some hints of ripe pear at the back, which makes this wine more round and somewhat sweeter (it is dry though!).
Enjoy
