Dorado (Sea Bream) with Citrus Sauce and Vegetable Tagliatelle

Method

1. Run your fingers along each fillet and pull out any pin bones with tweezers.
2. Score the skin of each fillet 3 times, just through the skin, so it doesn't curl in the pan.
3. Pat the fillets very dry with paper towels and season both sides with salt and pepper.
4. Shave the carrots and zucchini into long ribbons with the vegetable peeler, stopping at the seedy core of the zucchini.
5. Finely grate 1 tsp of zest from the orange.
6. Cut the peel and white pith off the orange, cut out 2 tbsp of flesh between the membranes and dice it.
7. Squeeze the juice from what is left of the orange and top it up with bought juice to 100 ml.
8. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in the medium skillet over medium heat and cook the onion for 4–5 minutes, until translucent.
9. Add the capers, orange zest, diced orange and thyme and stir for 1 minute.
10. Pour in the wine and let it bubble until reduced by half, about 1 minute.
11. Add 100 ml of the broth and the orange juice and simmer for 4–5 minutes, until reduced by about a third and slightly thickened.
12. Season the sauce with the sugar and a pinch of salt so it tastes both sweet and sour, remove the thyme stalks and set aside.
13. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in the large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
14. Lay the fillets in skin side down and press each gently with the spatula for 20 seconds so it stays flat.
15. Cook for 3–4 minutes, until the skin is golden and crisp and the flesh has turned opaque two-thirds of the way up.
16. Turn the fillets, cook for 30–60 seconds and transfer them to a plate skin side up.
17. Put the carrot ribbons, the sauce and the remaining 50 ml of broth into the same skillet and simmer for 2 minutes.
18. Add the zucchini ribbons, toss and cook for 2 minutes more, until both vegetables are tender but still have some bite.
19. Return the fish to the pan skin side up for 1 minute to heat through; the flesh should flake when pressed.
20. Lift the fish onto a plate, take the pan off the heat, add the cold butter and swirl the pan until the sauce turns glossy.
21. Divide the ribbons between four plates, set the fish on top skin side up and spoon the sauce around, not over the skin.

1. Prepare the Fish
2. Fillet the dorado: make incisions along the back and belly, carefully separating the fillets from the bones.
3. Remove any remaining pin bones. Season with salt and pepper on both sides.
4. Make the Sauce
5. Heat olive oil in a skillet and sauté the onion until translucent.
6. Add the capers, orange zest, orange pulp, and thyme.
7. Pour in the white wine and reduce the liquid by half.
8. Add the chicken broth and orange juice, simmer until slightly thickened.
9. Season with salt and sugar, aiming for a balanced sweet-sour flavor. Set aside.
10. Cook the Fish and Vegetables
11. Heat olive oil in a skillet and sear the dorado fillets skin-side down until golden, then flip and cook the other side briefly. Remove and set aside.
12. In the same skillet, add the carrot and zucchini ribbons beneath the fish fillets.
13. Pour the prepared sauce and remaining chicken broth over the fish and vegetables.
14. Cover and cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender yet firm (al dente).
15. Finish the Dish
16. Swirl in butter to create a glossy sauce, moving the skillet in circular motions.
17. Plate the fish first, followed by the vegetables, and drizzle with the citrus sauce.

The dish in the photograph was cooked by the restaurant for this story. Photo: Oleksandr Slyadnyev.