Spanish pan-seared sea bream | Dorada a la espalda

Peel the potatoes and cut them into thin slices, approx. 3 mm thick. Heat 30 ml of extra virgin olive oil in a pan over medium heat, then add the potato slices. Season with salt and pepper, cover with a lid, and cook, turning occasionally, for 15-20 minutes until golden brown and butter-soft (traditional Spanish 'patatas a lo pobre' style).

Prepare the fish: butterfly the sea bream from the belly along the spine so that the skin on the back remains intact (or ask your fishmonger for an 'a la espalda' cut ready to cook). Pat completely dry with paper towels, then season both sides with fine salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Heat a large pan or grill pan with 10 ml of extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Place the butterflied sea bream in the pan, skin-side down. Gently press down with a spatula for 30 seconds to prevent the skin from curling. Fry for 3-4 minutes until the skin is crispy and golden, then carefully flip and cook on the flesh side for another 2 minutes until the fish is just cooked through and remains tender. Transfer the fish onto a preheated platter next to the fried potato slices.