Keeping the healthy new year kick going I’m trying to cut out some of my carb intake. If you like liquorice or better still a shot of Pernod then you’ll love fennel as it have a lovely aniseed flavour. I always think Gurnard are such a pretty fish as they are red with yellow and have pretty fins and face, well as pretty as an eating fish can be. This is a quick healthy and tasty mid week dinner.

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 3 Large Fennel Bulbs

• Small glass of white wine

• 200ml of vegetable stock

• 20g of grated Parmesan

• 2 Fillets of Gurnard

Directions

1. Pre heat oven to 200 degrees C (fan)

2. Remove the tops of the fennel bulbs and slice them to form discs. Next slice the fennel bulbs very thinly either with a sharp knife or a mandolin

3. Lay the slices of Fennel bulb in the bottom of an oven proof roasting tray and then arrange the fennel disc on top

4. Add the glass of wine to a saucepan and let it cook for a couple of minutes over a medium heat to get rid of the alcohol. Next add the 200ml of stock and bring to a simmer and then pour it over the sliced fennel in the gratin dish

5. Grate the parmesan and sprinkle over the top of the fennel slices adding more if you want to.

6. Bake in the oven for around 25 minutes or until the top is starting to turn golden.

7. Pin bone the fillets of Gurnard and put 2 tbsps of olive oil into a frying pan heat oven a medium heat

8. Next add the fish fillets skin side down. Hold each of them in place with a small amount of pressure for around 10 seconds each as this will stop them curling

9. Fry the fish for around 5 minutes and then flip them over. You want the skin to crisp up so dont be tempted to turn them too early!

10. Turn the fish over and cook for 1 minute and then turn the heat off. There will be sufficient residual heat in the pan to finish cooking the fish and this will stop the fillets from drying out.

11. Remove the Fennel gratin from the oven and divide it between 2 bowls. There should be some juice to drizzle over but you can add some olive oil as well if you wish

12. Place the Gurnard fillets on top of the Fennel and serve. Enjoy.