Sea bass with essence of sweetpepper, polenta and goats' cheese gnocchi – by Simon Radley

Ingredients (serves eight)

8 red peppers
1 garlic clove
100ml olive oil
Salt and pepper
8 sea bass fillets
Basil leaves

For the gnocchi Butter, to line moulds
100g polenta
50g flour
50g butter
200ml milk
200g goats' cheese (crottin)
50g Gruyère
50g mashed potato
2 egg yolks
Salt and pepper
5 egg whites Method

Double-line gnocchi moulds with butter and coat in rough polenta. Make a roux with flour and butter, then add the milk and 100g of the goats' cheese and the Gruyère. Add the mash, egg yolks and season. Whip the whites and fold into the mixture.

Half-fill the moulds, then put a piece of goats' cheese in the centre and top up with mix. Stand in a bain-marie and bake at 180ºC gas mark 4 for five minutes or until lightly set.

Roast the peppers with the garlic and 60ml olive oil until soft, then peel and dice half of them. Liquidise the other half with the roasted garlic clove. Heat and correct the seasoning and consistency.

Season the fish and lightly steam. Bake the gnocchi for a further four minutes and turn out. Heat the diced peppers with the basil leaves and remaining olive oil and put on a plate. Pour the pepper sauce and put the fish on top. Drizzle with olive oil. Finish with basil and goats' cheese. Optional: add whipped basil foam.

by Simon Radley

Photo © Rob Whitrow