Barbequed Sea Bass with Fennel Mayonnaise

Reminds me of the meal we had at le Manoir au Quat' Saisons the other week. Cornish mackerel on a bed of warm fennel. Delish!

Well, I think that's the first time my cooking has been compared with that of Raymond Blanc... I wish... Tell us more about your visit to Le Manoir... it's on my list of places to eat before I die!

What a super post. I love Bass and I can see why folk are tapping into this recipe. Great pictures too. This post has a good feel to it. So summery and fresh!

Cherry

Hi Richard, replying to your request for more on le Manoir. I have to warn you that if you do eat there you'll be worn out saying 'thank you' in a very short while. There are so many staff in attendance that it made my head spin. We were shown into what can only be described as a Lounge (detest that word) all sofas and small tables to have aperitifs and amuse bouche. We chose water to drink at first and of the 6 morsels that were served I could only identify the salmon in jelly on a small coffee spoon and a parmesan crisp. We had, by then, met 10 staff including our sommellier and the waiter who took our food order, we sould see only the sommellier for a second time.

Having been taken to our table, the wine was opened with great ceremony, quite wasted on us I'm afraid. All that sniffing the cork - I ask you!

There was a complimentary small dish to start the meal I had betroot which had somehow been squashed into a shape like toblerone and then had some jelly put around it and finely sliced (justs the one). Other half had a cappucino cup of tomato juice that looked very pale and frothy.

First course for me was fresh Cornish Mackerel on a bed of partially cooked fennel and tiny leaves of flavourful plants (just the very first two leaves that grow on a plant) basil, celery, fennel, dill etc. Nice but not special. Can't recall what OH had and neither can he.

Main course was 'line caught' icelandic cod on a bed of god knows what. Looked like lentils, taste and texture of pearl barley, a few smears of differing sauces and more tiny leaves. OH chose calves liver and said it was better than when I cook it.

Dessert was hot chocolate mousse with pistachio ice cream. The mousse was dry and overly sweet but the ice cream was OK.

Coffee and petit fours served in a different Lounge where I chose to have a glass of Marc as a digestif since I'd never tasted it. (very much like grappa since you ask)

As I said there were staff everywhere each course served by someone different, your wine glass kept topped up by the sommellier, and if you leave the table for any reason someone would fold and replace your napkin (two other things that I dislike). All in all the food wasn't very exciting and there was a distinct lack of vegetables yet Raymond says he grows all the veg for the restaurant. I wouldn't want to go again, it was hard work and not stunning. Have you looked at the website? Bedrooms start at over £400.00 per night!

This lunch was a gift from OH's daughter, the only reason we went. Each course or part course is decribed to you before it is placed on the table, but the 'introducers' spoke so quietly and with foreign accents that we were very much in the dark if unabe to identify a taste or texture.

C'est la vie!

Cherry - thanks for the feedback! And Toni-Anne - thanks for posting such a comprehensive review of Le Manoir! I'm disappointed for you, I have to say - I'd always imagined much more from the place. Maybe it's slipping off my list of places to eat before I die!

I loved this photograph when I saw it a few days ago but had to wait until tonight to read the recipe and secrets in detail. We will definitely try this. Thank you.