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1. Clarify the butter by melting it gently in a small pan, then skimming off any froth and pouring off the clear liquid into another pan, leaving behind the butter solids which will have collected at the bottom.
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2. Brush both sides of the sea bass fillets with a little of the clarifed butter and season with salt and pepper.
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3. For the vinaigrette, split the vanilla pod open lengthways, scrape out the seeds with a small tsp and then chop the pod very finely.
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4. Put the seeds and pod into a small pan with the vermouth, vinegar and shallot, bring to the boil and boil for a few minutes until reduced to about 1 tbsp.
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5. Add the fish stock and boil once more until reduced to about 45ml/3 tbsp.
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6. Remove the shallot halves, then add the remaining clarified butter, plus the tomato, chervil, 1/4tsp of salt and 6 turns of the pepper mill. Keep just warm over a very low heat.
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7. Heat a lightly oiled cast-iron ribbed pan until very hot. Cook the fish fillets, skin-side down, for 1 minute, pressing down on top of each fillet in turn with the back of a fish slice to help mark them with the lines of the griddle. Turn over and cook for 30 seconds of the other side.
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8. To serve, put the fish fillets of four warmed plates and spoon the vinaigrette to the side.
