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  • zest 0.5 lemon
    peeled into strips using a vegetable peeler
  • 2 lemon thyme
    sprigs
  • 2 shallots
    sliced
  • 2 lemon sole
    about 300g/11oz each, dark skin removed, trimmed (see step-by-step)
  • 100g butter
    diced

For the caper paste

Nutrition: per serving

  • kcal967
  • fat93g
  • saturates36g
  • carbs2g
  • sugars1g
  • fibre2g
  • protein30g
  • salt4.9g

Method

  • step 1

    First, make the caper paste. Blend the ingredients in a blender or small food processor for 2 mins until you have a smooth-ish purée (if using a food processor, you might need to scrape down the sides once or twice with a spatula). Transfer to a small bowl, cover with cling film and place in the fridge until needed. Can be made 2 days ahead and chilled.

  • step 2

    Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Scatter the lemon zest, lemon thyme and shallots onto a baking tray or ovenproof dish. Sprinkle the fish lightly with salt and put it on top of the shallots, skin-side up. Place pieces of butter on each fish and pour in 200ml water – this will steam the fish and keep it juicy.

  • step 3

    Put the fish and the prepared tray of potatoes (see recipe in Goes well with) in the oven at the same time and bake both for 10 mins, basting the fish halfway through. While the fish cooks, wilt the greens (see recipe in Goes well with) and take the caper paste out of the fridge to come to room temperature.

  • step 4

    Take the fish out of the oven and baste it one last time, then use a cook’s blowtorch to char the skin, if you like. Transfer the fish to a serving plate with some of the shallots and lemon zest. Spoon a little of the caper paste over the fish and serve immediately with the new potatoes and wilted spring greens.

RECIPE TIPS
GET AHEAD

If you want to get ahead, you can make the caper paste two days in advance and keep it in the fridge. A few hours before cooking, the fish can be totally prepared on the tray, ready for the oven. Cover in cling film and keep in the fridge.

FISH BONES

These whole fish will contain bones - if you'd rather they didn't, you can cook boneless fillets of chunky white fish like cod or pollock in exactly the same way, to roughly the same timings.

Recipe from Good Food magazine, May 2015

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Comments, questions and tips (5)

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Overall rating

A star rating of 3.9 out of 5.9 ratings

roydhooper66634

Please, please, please amend this recipe. The sauce is enough for 30 people and it's a waste of olive oil and capers. The rest of the meal was nice, but the amount of sauce was just annoying

stokeysue

A star rating of 4 out of 5.

I think Tom has done something restaurant chefs often do, and only scaled down half the recipe The instructions for baking the fish work perfectly, though I see no need to remove the dark skin, it cooks fine However, a caper paste made from 100 grams of capers and 100 ml of olive oil is enough for…

reevey

Sorry Tom, this dish and the accompaniments just didn't work for us! The fish was tasteless and the potato & cheddar sauce was overpowering. My husband liked the wilted greens but they weren't my cup of tea at all with all the walnuts & oil. Better luck next time I guess!

charlesflove

I can't understand this recipe. I tried it and thought the combination of the capers and fish just awful. They completely overwhelmed the fish and quite frankly the sauce was horrible. A waste of a nice piece of fish.....

lseastwood

A star rating of 5 out of 5.

Easy and delicious. I made with cod as per the alternative suggestion - it was cooked beautifully and the caper paste was surprisingly delicious: I thought it may be a bit tart and acidic but it was really moreish. The recipe made about double the amount needed (still using generous portions) so…

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