Name: Red mullet with romesco potato salad
Total time: 25 min
Yield: Serves 2
Ingredients: 250g new potatoes, halved if large; 50g blanched almonds; 1 clove garlic; 200g (drained weight) roasted red peppers from a jar; 50ml extra-virgin olive oil; 1 tsp hot smoked paprika; ½ lemon, juiced, plus extra wedges to serve; 1 tsp (optional) runny honey; 2 fillets red mullet; 1 tbsp plain flour; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; a handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped; green beans or salad, to serve

A grey plate topped with pan-fried fish, golden potatoes, green beans and slices of yellow lemons

250g new potatoes
halved if large
50g blanched almonds
1 clove garlic
200g (drained weight) roasted red peppers from a jar
50ml extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp hot smoked paprika
½ lemon
juiced, plus extra wedges to serve
1 tsp (optional) runny honey
2 fillets red mullet
1 tbsp plain flour
2 tbsp vegetable oil
a handful flat-leaf parsley
finely chopped
green beans or salad
to serve

Method

step 1
Cook the potatoes in a pan of boiling salted water for 10-15 minutes or until tender. Drain and leave to steam-dry.
step 2
Meanwhile, toast the almonds in a dry frying pan for 3-4 minutes or until lightly golden and smelling toasted. Tip out and leave to cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a food processor. Peel the garlic and add to the food processor along with the peppers, olive oil, paprika and lemon juice. Blend until smooth, then check for seasoning, adding a dash more lemon juice or paprika if you like, along with some salt and pepper. Add the honey to balance any bitterness in the olive oil, if needed. Tip into a bowl and fold in the warm potatoes. Leave to rest while you cook the red mullet.
step 3
Pat the fish fillets dry on kitchen paper and remove any pin bones with tweezers. Season the flour, then use this to dust both sides of the fish – this will help crisp the skin when frying. Heat the vegetable oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat and, once hot, carefully lower in the fish, skin-side down. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until crisp. If the fillets start to curl up, gently press them down into the pan using a fish slice. Flip and cook for a further minute before removing from the pan.
step 4
Toss most of the parsley into the potato salad, then divide between two plates. Top with the red mullet and the remaining parsley, then serve with green beans or salad.