RECIPE INSPIRATION
Celebrating 25 years in London, José Pizarro continues to champion the fresh flavours and Mediterranean ingredients of his native country, which is why we love him so
SALT-BAKED BREAM WITH PICKLED RADISH AND PEA SALAD
SERVES 2 GF DF
HANDS-ON TIME 15 mins
TOTAL TIME 40 mins
◆ 2 medium egg whites, for the crust
◆ 300g coarse sea salt, for the crust
◆ 4 thyme sprigs, leaves stripped
◆ pared zest of 1 lemon
◆ 2 whole sea bream (we used 1 x 520g pack Fish Said Fred sea bream)
For the salad
◆ 2 tbsp cider or sherry vinegar
◆ 1 tsp coriander seeds
◆ 150g radishes, very finely sliced
◆ 150g fresh podded peas
◆ 1 Little Gem lettuce, leaves separated
◆ 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C, fan 160°C, gas 4. Beat the egg whites until lightly foamy, then mix with the salt. Tuck the thyme and lemon zest into the belly of each fish. Put a thin layer of the salt mixture into a baking dish that’s about the same size as the two fish. Place the fish on top and cover with the remaining salt mixture. Pat down to cover the fish completely, then bake for 25 minutes.
2 While the fish is baking, make the salad. Put the vinegar and coriander seeds into a small pan with 2 tablespoons of water and heat until almost boiling. Put the radishes in a bowl and pour over the hot vinegar, then let pickle for about 10 minutes (and no more than 30).
3 Put the raw peas into a large bowl with the lettuce leaves. Toss in the radishes and their pickling liquid, then drizzle in the extra-virgin olive oil and toss together. Season well.
4 Once the fish is cooked, crack open and discard the salt crust (along with the top layer of skin) and serve the fish with the salad.
PER SERVING
460cals; 24g fat (3g sat fat); 47g protein; 6g fibre; 10g carbs (of which 4g sugars); 1.6g salt
Twenty-five years! Where did the time go? I came to London wanting to learn English, the cuisine and the techniques, yet I still cooked Spanish food. I started out creating fancy, molecular recipes, but I’ve come back to making incredible, simple dishes from home, using the best Spanish ingredients.
I’d like to think I’ve helped to change people’s perceptions of what
Spanish food is. Their expectations were based on hotel cuisine – going on holiday and ordering things like paella, patatas bravas and sangria. All of which are great, but it’s so much more than that. Now, Spanish cuisine has grown in popularity everywhere in the UK, and people can experience eating the best jamón or the freshest tuna. In my restaurants, I try my best to always bring something new to the menu,
