Megrim sole with smoked bacon, fennel and cockles

Method

1. Put the cockles and a splash of water in a covered pan and heat until just opened. Set aside to cool. Once cool, discard any closed cockles, then remove the meat from the rest (discard the shells).
2. Pour half the rapeseed oil into a small frying pan. Fry the fennel for 5 minutes until soft, then remove from the pan (don’t wash it) and set aside to cool.
3. Put a large frying pan over a medium-high heat, then fry the sole in the remaining oil for 3 minutes on each side. Once both sides are golden, add the butter to the pan and a squeeze of lemon juice, then spoon the mixture over the fish a few times.
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4. While the sole is cooking, fry the diced bacon in the small set-aside pan on a medium heat until golden, add the reserved fennel along with the capers and cockle meat, then remove from the heat. Add the chopped parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice. Put the sole on a large plate, skin-side up, then spoon the bacon and cockle mixture over the fish. Serve with mashed potato, if you like.