Instructions: Firstly for the sauce, combine the fish stock and alcohol with the sliced shallots and reduce by two thirds. Peel both the peppers and keep them and their peelings separate. Remove seeds and discard. Cut the flesh into a neat dice, keeping any trimmings.

In two separate pans cook the sliced shallots, garlic and thyme in a little olive oil. Add the 2 lots of trimmings to the pans and cook slowly for a few minutes. Mix in the vinegar and syrup and cook further until very soft.

Remove from pans and liquidize. Pass the sauce back into the pans and add the raw dice. Cook out until the dice is soft. Check the seasonings (a sweet and sour flavour should be achieved).

Cook the bass in a little olive oil skin side down. Place in the oven for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile add the cream to the reduced stock and bring to the boil. Season and pass through a fine sieve. Keep warm. Peel the asparagus and cut it all to the same length. Cook in boiling salted water with a spoon of butter.

Place a spoonful of each pepper compote in the centre of a bowl. Remove fish from the oven and season with a few drops of lemon juice. Place on top of compotes and drape asparagus over it. Put the cream sauce around it.

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