Filetti di Orata alla Ligure (Pan-Fried Sea Bream with Taggiasca Olives and Pine Nuts)
Sea bream fillets pan-fried skin-side down until crisp, then finished with Taggiasca olives, waxy potatoes, and toasted pine nuts. A characteristic fish preparation from the Ligurian coast, done in under 35 minutes.
Equipment
- Large frying pan (28-30cm), non-stick or stainless steel
- Medium saucepan for boiling potatoes
- Small dry frying pan for toasting pine nuts
- Fish spatula or wide palette knife
- Kitchen paper
- Chopping Board
- Sharp knife
Ingredients
- 2 sea bream fillets skin on, each approx 180-220 grams
- 300 grams waxy potatoes peeled and cut into 1cm rounds
- 80 grams Taggiasca olives pitted
- 30 grams pine nuts
- 2 garlic cloves thinly sliced
- Small bunch of flat-leaf parsley roughly chopped
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 60 ml dry white wine
- Sea salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Boil the potatoes. Place the potato rounds in salted cold water, bring to the boil, and cook for 8-10 minutes until just tender but still holding their shape. Drain and set aside.
- Heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil in the large frying pan over medium heat. Add the drained potatoes in a single layer.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes, turning once, until lightly golden on both sides. Remove from the pan and set aside. Wipe the pan clean.
- Toast the pine nuts. Place the pine nuts in a small dry pan over medium heat. Move them constantly for 1-2 minutes until golden. Remove from the heat immediately and set aside.
- Pat both orata fillets firmly on both sides with kitchen paper. Season the flesh side with salt and black pepper.
- Heat the pan. Pour the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil into the large frying pan and set over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers.
- Fry skin-side down. Lay the fillets skin-side down in the pan. Press each one flat with the spatula for 10 seconds to prevent curling. Cook without moving for 4-5 minutes until the skin is golden and crisp and the flesh has turned white two-thirds of the way up.Then turn the orata fillets so they are skin side up. Cook for another minute then remove from the pan and rest.
- Add the garlic slices to the pan and let them colour lightly for 30 seconds.
- Scatter the Taggiasca olives and browned potatoes into the pan Let everything warm together for 1 minute.
- Deglaze. Pour in the white wine and let it bubble for 1 minute until the wine reduces by about a third.
- Return the fillets to the pan to hear through for 1-2 minutes.
- Plate. Lay the potatoes as a base on each plate. Place one fillet on top skin-side up. Spoon the olives and pan juices over and around the fish. Scatter the toasted pine nuts and chopped parsley over the top. Squeeze over the lemon juice at the table.
Notes
1. Taggiasca olives in olive oil are just amazing - use them when you can. Avoid olives in vinegar brine - the sharpness fights the fish rather than complementing it.
2. The orata skin must be completely dry before the fillet goes in the pan. Any moisture will cause the oil to spit and the skin will steam rather than crisp.
3. Press the fillet flat immediately when it hits the pan. The fillet will curl as the skin contracts from the heat. Put some greaseproof paper on top of the fillets and add a weight, such as a burger press for crispiest results.
2. The orata skin must be completely dry before the fillet goes in the pan. Any moisture will cause the oil to spit and the skin will steam rather than crisp.
3. Press the fillet flat immediately when it hits the pan. The fillet will curl as the skin contracts from the heat. Put some greaseproof paper on top of the fillets and add a weight, such as a burger press for crispiest results.