It is so nice getting back to our healthy dinners. I love holidays and christmas but I also love home cooked dinners too. As you know if you follow my blog Paulie and I love a sauce and this broth was delicious. Fennel and fish go so well together and the leeks add a depth of flavour all topped off with crunchy bits of bacon. Yum!

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 2 sole fillets
• 1 fennel bulb
• 1 leek, finely sliced
• 300ml fish stock
• 2 tbsp drained capers
• juice of half a lemon
• 20g butter
• sprig of lemon thyme, leaves only
• 80g smoked pancetta or bacon, cubed or cut into small strips
• olive oil
• seasoning

Directions

1. Quarter the fennel and slice. Heat a large saucepan with a splash of oil and sauté the fennel on a medium heat for about 3 minutes.
2. While this is happening, chop the Leek and then add that to the pan with the fennel and cook for a further 2 minutes on the lowest heat as it only needs to sweat
3. Next add 300ml of fish stock followed by 2 tbsp of capers, thyme leaves and the juice of half a lemon
4. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 1 minute. Add 20g of butter, Cover with a lid and turn off the heat
5. Heat a frying pan and add a splash of oil. Cook the pancetta for about 2 minutes or until starting to brown and crisp. Put some kitchen towel in a bowl and drain the pancetta into it. Set aside
6. Heat a 1 tbsp of oil in the Pan that you cooked the pancetta in. When it’s hot add the fish skin side down and cook for 3 minutes. Turn the fish over and turn off the heat – the residual heat in the pan will cook the fish
7. Serve by spooning the leek and fennel mixture including the sauce between 2 warm serving bowls. Sprinkle the chopped pancetta across the top and place the cooked fish skin side down on top, season to taste.