Steamed fillet of sea bass with vanilla and saffron velout‚ and new-season asparagus

Ingredients

(serves four)

½ vanilla pod (seed and pod)
6 shallots, sliced
Pinch of saffron
Salt and pepper
300ml white wine
300ml fish stock
300ml cream
2 x 1kg sea bass, filleted
20-24 asparagus tips

For saffron cabbage 200g white cabbage,thinly sliced
Butter
Pinch of saffron
Salt and pepper
200ml white wine
300ml fish stock

For braised pommes Anna 2 potatoes, cut into thin discs
300ml fish stock
200ml olive oil
Salt and pepper

Method

Cut vanilla pod in half. Remove seeds and put them in separate pan. Sweat shallots with pod and saffron. Season. Add white wine and reduce to glaze. Add fish stock. Reduce by half, add cream and bring to boil. Adjust seasoning. Pass over vanilla seeds and pod and infuse (sauce is best left to infuse for six hours with pod inside).

Sweat cabbage in a little butter, saffron and seasoning. Add white wine, reduce. Add fish stock, reduce until tender.

Cut potatoes into thin discs and lay them in a ring. Pour over fish stock, olive oil and seasoning. Put into the oven at 160°C for 10-15 minutes until tender.

Season sea bass and steam for six to eight minutes, then remove skin. Place cabbage in a ring, put a layer of pommes Anna over cabbage, then place the sea bass on top.

Garnish with five or six asparagus tips. Pour vanilla and saffron sauce over and around fish.