Fried Bream Fillets with Pea Puree

This is a really simple dish in terms of ingredients although it takes a little effort to prepare, especially is someone rings you in the middle of pureeing the peas! I served it with a courgette, tomato and balsamic salad and crushed new potatoes.

The peas came from my garden! I have a very small amount of peas with a life of their own and I ended up with about 70g peas so I had to add another 30g of frozen peas. The peas out the pod were delicious though, a reminder than summer is here!

Fried Bream Fillets with Pea Puree (from River Cottage Fish)
(Serves 4)

1 large bunch mint, leaves chopped (keep the stalks)
400g peas
cooking spray
1 1/2 garlic cloves, 1/2 finely chopped, the other skin left on, bruised with a knife
75g unsalted butter
2 bay leaves
4 bream fillets
salt and pepper

Bring a pan of water to the boil and throw in the mint stalks. Add a pinch of salt and the peass and boil for 4-5 mins until the peas are tender. Drain and reserve the cooking water. discard the mint stalks. Put the peas in a blender and set aside.

Put a small pan over a medium-high heat, spray with cooking spray and add the chopped garlic. Sizzle gently until the garlic just begins to colour, then quickly pour into the blender with the peas. Add 50g butter, salt and pepper and the chopped mint leaves. Add 2 tbsp of the pea cooking water and blend to a puree, adding a little more liquid if needed, it should be like coarse hummus.

Put a large frying pan over a medium-high heat, spray with cooking spray. Throw in the bay leaves and the bruised garlic to flavour the fat. Season the fish fillets all over and lay them skin side down in the pan. Cook for about 3 mins until the flesh has turned opaque, then flip them over and cook for 30 secs. Serve.