Small Plates, Big Flavours

BBC chef Tom Kerridge introduces a new way to feed friends.

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When I opened my second pub, The Coach, I wanted it to be an informal dining space that didn’t take bookings, but the food still needed to be special. My solution was small-plate dining. This is a lovely way to cook for friends. Make as many or as few dishes as you want and just place them in the middle of the table for everyone to graze on, like tapas. Here, I’ve tried to cover all bases and offer you four very different plates that could each be served as a course in their own right. I also bulk it out with good charcuterie, cheese and olives. When I opened The Coach, we were one of the first places to offer food like this, but now there are loads, and it’s easy to see why. Tom Sea bass with wild garlic mayonnaise

I love crispy pan-fried fish skin, but the fish here can also be grilled skin-side up if you prefer. Wild garlic is in abundance right now, but if you can’t find it, just use basil instead.

SERVES 6-8

PREP 15 mins

COOK 5 mins

MORE EFFORT

1 tbsp olive oil

4 sea bass fillets

lemon wedges, to serve

For the wild garlic mayonnaise

200g vegetable oil

100g wild garlic leaves, chopped

1 egg yolk

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

3 anchovies

1 To make the wild garlic mayo, heat the oil in a pan, then tip into a blender with the wild garlic. Blend for 2 mins, then pass the oil through a sieve into a jug. Put the yolk in a medium bowl with the mustard. Gradually whisk the green oil into the yolk until it thickens. Whisk in the anchovies and a pinch of salt. Put in the fridge. Can be made a day ahead.