Martin Bosley’s Stuffed Groper

Wellington Chef Martin Bosley’s kindly supplied one of his favourite recipes for us to try. Impress your friends this weekend!

Stuffed Groper Fillet Wrapped in Bacon with Lemon and Caper Sauce

Ingredients
2 x 200g groper fillets
1 bunch spinach
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
juice and freshly grated zest of 1 lemon
6 rashers streaky bacon
The Village Press olive oil
leaves from 1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley
2 tsp capers
juice of 1 large lemon
2 Tbsp unsalted butter

Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Using the tip of a sharp knife, cut into the side of each groper fillet and create a cavity in the centre.

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and strip the spinach leaves from the stems. Drop the leaves into the boiling water and almost immediately, using a sieve, remove them to a bowl of iced water. Drain the spinach and squeeze dry using absorbent kitchen paper, then place in a mixing bowl.

Heat a little oil in a frying pan. Add the onion and garlic to the pan, cooking until soft and translucent. Add the spinach. Stir in the lemon juice and zest. Season with salt and pepper.

Stuff as much of the spinach mix as you can into the fish without tearing the flesh. Any remaining stuffing can be served alongside the fish. Season the fish with a little salt and wrap each fillet in 3 rashers of bacon. Brush with a little olive oil and bake for 15-20 minutes until the fish is cooked through.

To make the sauce, chop the parsley and rinse the capers. Scatter the parsley and capers into a small frying pan and squeeze in the lemon juice. Bring to the boil and briskly beat in the butter using a wire whisk. Season with a couple of twists of the peppermill and a touch of salt.

Tip – You could cook this on either a barbecue or in the oven. It’s a robust dish with an eye-wateringly sharp lemon sauce that keeps everything lively.