North African spiced sea bass with couscous cakes

Serves: 4
Prep time: 15 minutes plus 20 minutes marinating
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Marinated tomatoes

• 200g cherry tomatoes
• 2tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2tbsp olive oil
• ½ clove garlic, crushed
• 1 shallot, sliced
• 2tbsp flat-leaf parsley

Spice rub

• 3tbsp coriander, chopped
• 2tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• ½ red onion, roughly chopped
• 1 clove garlic
• 1tsp smoked paprika
• 1tsp ras el hanout
• 40ml olive oil
• Juice ½ lemon
• 4 sea bass fillets
• 200g couscous
• 400ml chicken stock
• 30g flaked almonds, toasted
• Juice ½ lemon
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1tbsp olive oil

Halve the tomatoes then place in a bowl with the vinegar, olive oil, garlic and shallot. Leave to stand for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, blitz the rub ingredients together in a mini blender or food processor until you have a smooth paste. Score the skin of the sea bass several times using a sharp knife. Take half of the paste and rub all over the sea bass fillets. Place in a glass dish and pop in the fridge to marinade for 15 minutes.
Place the couscous in a bowl and pour over the boiling stock. Cover with cling film and let stand for 5 minutes. Fork through to separate the grains then add the rest of the spice rub, almonds, lemon juice and egg. Season with salt and pepper then mix to combine. Divide the couscous into 8 then use the base of a greased ramekin to press into patties. Add the olive oil to a non-stick pan and cook the couscous cakes over a medium heat for 3-4 minutes each side.
Grill the sea bass fillets under a hot grill for 5-6 minutes or until the skin is crispy and the fish cooked through. Stir the parsley through the tomatoes, then divide between 4 plates. Add 2 couscous cakes to each dish and top with a seabass fillet.