Three-minute fish recipe

This is the fastest fish recipe I know and one of the most delicious. It can be fun to mix pink and white-fleshed fish on the same plate, e.g. salmon and sea bass.

SERVES

Four

INGREDIENTS

• 450g very fresh fish, such as wild Irish salmon, cod, turbot, large sole, sea bass or grey sea mullet

• Olive oil or melted butter

• Finely chopped parsley, thyme, chives, chervil

METHOD

1. Season the fillet of fish with some salt and freshly ground pepper about 30 minutes before cutting; chill in the fridge to stiffen it. Preheat the oven to 230C/210C fan/Gas 8.

2. While the oven is heating, brush the plates with a little extra virgin olive oil or melted butter. Put the fillet of fish on a chopping board skin-side down; cut the flesh into scant 5mm-thin slices down on to the skin. Arrange the slices on the base of the plate but don’t allow them to overlap or they will cook unevenly.

3. Brush the fish slices with more olive oil or melted butter, season with salt and freshly ground pepper and sprinkle each plate with a little of the freshly chopped herbs. Put the plates in the fully preheated oven and cook for three minutes; you might like to check after two minutes if the slices are exceptionally thin. The fish is cooked when it looks opaque.

4. Rush it to the table, served with crusty white bread, a good green salad and a glass of white wine.

Recipe from Simply Delicious by Darina Allen (Kyle Books, £20)