John Gionleka, chef and owner of London's celebrated Balkan restaurant Peckham Bazaar, brings together two standout seasonal ingredients in this grilled sea bass and spiky artichoke salad recipe. John says: "Wild sea bass, that predatory prince of the British waters, shares its landing season with the spiky Italian artichoke. In both cases, the scales of sea bass and the spiky leaves of the artichokes pose a little challenge to the domestic cook. Whilst a competent fishmonger can take care of the scaling and gutting of the bass, a sturdy pair of scissors can be handily deployed to cut off the tips of the leaves, making it easier to pull them cleanly from the body of the artichoke."
Why We Love John Gionleka's Sea Bass and Artichoke Salad Recipe
Inspired by simple Mediterranean and Balkan-style cooking, John's recipe pairs charcoal-grilled wild sea bass with shaved artichokes, broad beans, sweet peas, fresh herbs, and lemon for a light yet flavourful salad that's perfect for spring and summer dining. Little Olive Oil's Trio Select extra virgin olive oil is the ideal pairing, thanks to its smooth, delicate flavour. Used in the lemon dressing and to baste the fish whilst grilling, it complements the clean flavour of the sea bass and fresh seasonal vegetables without overpowering them. If you're looking for grilled sea bass ideas, spring salads, artichoke recipes, or light barbecue dishes using extra virgin olive oil, John's recipe is an absolute delight.
How to Make Grilled Sea Bass with Artichoke Salad
Squeeze 4 lemons and keep the skins. Mix the resulting juice with an equal amount of Little Olive Oil's Trio Select extra virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp Malden Sea Salt and 50ml of water till you get a thick, homogeneous dressing.
Light your barbecue and take your sea bass out of the fridge. Place it on a flat tray and season it with 1 tbsp of Malden Sea Salt, including the cavity.
Snip the spiky tips of the artichokes with a pair of scissors, then pull off the outer leaves until you see the creamy white heart. Place them in a pot of cold water, adding the lemon halves as well.
With a sharp knife, peel the rim of the artichoke as if you were peeling an apple. Cut the remaining leaves from the base, about 1 cm from the base. With a melon baller or the tip of a teaspoon, remove the choke from the heart and return it to the acidulated water.
If you happen to be taking vitamin C, adding one tablet to the water helps even more in keeping the artichokes white, which tend to oxidise rather quickly.
Return your attention to the barbecue. If the flames have died, and the coals are covered in white ash, it is ready.
Apply a coating of the dressing to the sea bass on all sides and place it on the barbecue. Let it cook on that side for about 6 minutes, brushing the top with the dressing every minute or so. Gently flip over and cook for another 6 minutes. Continue to paint the dressing on the cooked side as before.
Flip over and cook for another 4 minutes whilst applying the brush strokes of dressing to the top side every minute or so. Finally, flip over and cook for 4 more minutes, then remove from the grill.
Shave or finely slice the artichoke hearts. Place in a salad bowl with the podded broad beans and the sweet peas, then mix in the herbs. Dress with salt and pepper, zest the final lemon on the leaves. Cut the zested lemons into thin slices and mix them into the salad.
Dress with the remaining Little Olive Oil Trio Select extra virgin olive oil, add additional dressing if desired, then garnish with micro-herbs and shavings of Pecorino.
Serve with the fish.
Grilled Sea Bass and Spiky Artichoke Salad Recipe Info
Details
Dish: Main
Diet: Pescatarian
Serves: 4
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 60 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 wild sea bass, 1.5kg cleaned weight
- 6 spiky artichokes
- 1 cup podded broad beans
- 1 cup sweet peas
- 5 unwaxed lemons
- 150g Pecorino Romano
- 250ml Little Olive Oil Trio Select extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp Malden Sea Salt
- 1 cup picked parsley leaves
- 1 cup picked mint leaves
- ½ cup finely chopped chives
- Handful of microgreens/herbs to garnish
Nutrition
Per serving
Calories: 1,090
Protein: 67g
Carbohydrates: 38g
Dietary Fibre: 14g
Total Sugars: 4g
Fat: 76g
Saturated Fat: 13g
Sodium: 2,425mg
Vitamin C: 150% DV
Iron: 25% DV
Calcium: 45% DV
A Little More about this Sea Bass and Spiky Artichoke Salad Recipe
Ingredient Guide
Wild sea bass brings delicate flavour and richness to the dish, whilst spiky artichokes add subtle nuttiness and gentle bitterness. Broad beans, peas and fresh herbs keep the salad vibrant and fresh, balanced by salty Pecorino Romano and plenty of lemon.
Spiky artichokes are the wild-hearted cousins of the smoother globe varieties, prized for their pointed leaves, deep flavour and beautifully rustic appearance. Beneath their thorny exterior lies a tender, buttery heart with a rich, slightly nutty taste that becomes sweeter as it cooks. Popular across Mediterranean kitchens for generations, they bring both character and substance to simple dishes, whether roasted whole, charred over flame or slowly braised in olive oil, garlic and herbs. Their dramatic shape feels almost prehistoric, yet once softened by heat, they reveal one of the most delicate and rewarding flavours of the season.
Little Olive Oil's Trio Select extra virgin olive oil is ideal here, thanks to its smooth, delicate flavour and subtle notes of freshly cut vegetables. With minimal pepperiness and a very gentle bitterness, it complements the fish, herbs and vegetables without overpowering them, adding balance and freshness throughout the dish.
Prep Tips
Keep the artichokes in lemon water whilst preparing them to prevent discolouration and preserve their delicate flavour. Thinly slicing the hearts gives the salad a lighter texture and helps the dressing coat everything evenly.
When grilling the sea bass, cook over fully ashed coals and brush regularly with the lemon and Trio Select dressing to keep the flesh moist and flavourful.
Ingredient Swaps
This salad also works beautifully as a vegetarian or vegan dish without the fish. Try replacing the sea bass with grilled aubergine, charred courgettes or butter beans for a hearty alternative. Parmesan-style vegetarian cheese or a vegan hard cheese can also be used instead of Pecorino Romano.
If spiky artichokes are unavailable, globe artichokes work well, whilst sugar snap peas or garden peas can replace broad beans.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with grilled sourdough or warm flatbreads to soak up the lemon and extra virgin olive oil dressing. For a lighter meal, pair with bitter leaves or shaved fennel salad. Finish with an extra drizzle of Trio Select extra virgin olive oil before serving for added freshness and softness.
