Sea bream with spring onion and brown butter rice

Sea bream with spring onion and brown butter rice

“Sea bream is a lovely fish that is easy to cook and goes brilliantly with the strong flavours in this recipe,” says food writer Melissa Thompson. “The nutty butter soaks into the rice taking with it the lemon, chilli and spring onion, It’s a really quick Easter lunch or spring Sunday roast whose flavour belies the lack of time spent cooking it.”

Sea bream with spring onion and brown butter rice

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  • Serves icon Serves 3-4
  • Time icon Hands-on time 30 min

“Sea bream is a lovely fish that is easy to cook and goes brilliantly with the strong flavours in this recipe,” says food writer Melissa Thompson. “The nutty butter soaks into the rice taking with it the lemon, chilli and spring onion, It’s a really quick Easter lunch or spring Sunday roast whose flavour belies the lack of time spent cooking it.”

Browse more Easter lunch recipes

Nutrition: per serving

Calories
421kcals
Fat
24.1g (10.4g saturated)
Protein
23.3g
Carbohydrates
26.7g (1.2g sugars)
Fibre
1.8g
Salt
0.3g

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 125g long grain white rice, washed
  • 2 sea bream, gutted, cleaned and scaled (ask your fishmonger)
  • 3 spring onions, white and green parts separated and finely chopped
  • 75g unsalted butter, chopped
  • 1 red chilli, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp pul biber (aleppo chilli flakes)
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tbsp sesame seeds
  • Juice 1 lemon
  • Small handful chopped parsley

Specialist kit

  • Large steamer
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Method

  1. Heat the vegetable oil in a saucepan over a medium heat and add the whites of the spring onions. Add the salt and rice, then cook according to the packet instructions.
  2. Meanwhile, set up a large steamer. Cut 3 slashes along the top of each sea bream and season the skin with salt and pepper. Steam the fish for 10 minutes or so until cooked through (the flesh will be opaque all the way through).
  3. Heat the butter in a small saucepan over a medium heat, stirring occasionally until the butter foams, keeping an eye on it so it doesn’t burn.
  4. Spoon the rice onto a large warmed serving platter and lay the steamed fish on top. Sprinkle over the chilli, garlic, pul biber, smoked paprika and sesame seeds. As soon as the butter starts to smell nutty and has turned a medium dark brown, remove from the heat. Squeeze the lemon juice over the fish, followed by the hot brown butter – it should sizzle as it hits the spices and aromatics. Sprinkle with parsley and bring to the table, serving the fish first, then mixing the rice with the butter and other ingredients.

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving
Calories
421kcals
Fat
24.1g (10.4g saturated)
Protein
23.3g
Carbohydrates
26.7g (1.2g sugars)
Fibre
1.8g
Salt
0.3g

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Recipe By:

Melissa Thompson

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