I love this season for the lighter vegetables. This recipe is one that you can easily change the fish if Seabream wasn’t your favourite, Halibut is also a good substitute.
Grilled sea bream, braised fennel, charred shallots
SERVES 4
Ingredients:
4 Sea bream fillets
4 Banana shallots
1 packet spinach
1 Fennel
1 packet sun blushed tomatoes
100ml Olive oil
1 sprig thyme
2 -3 Shallots
1 teaspoon garlic
100g butter
½ pint of vegetable or chicken stock
½ pint white wine
¼ pint double cream
Method
Remove the top of the fennel bulb then cut in half. Place in a pan with a little oil and colour both sides. Discard oil if burnt. Add a little more oil to pan along with stock and fennel. Add thyme leaves and garlic, cover in grease proof paper and place in oven to cook at 180c. Remove and cut into even sized wedges.
Peel banana shallots and place in boiling salted water to cook well. Remove and slice in half down the long side of shallot. Dry well and place into a hot frying pan with a little oil and add little colour around outside. Sear longer on flat open side to achieve a charred quality.
Pick, wash and cook spinach in boiling salted water and refresh in iced salted water. Drain well and squeeze excess liquid from spinach. Re-heat in a wide pan with a little butter and season.
Cut sun blushed tomato into equal sized pieces.
Peel and slice shallots and place in a pot with a little butter and no colour. Then add white wine and leave on heat to reduce until nearly dry. Add cream and bring to the boil. Add butter and whisk through to melt thoroughly. Pass sauce through a fine sieve.
Season sea bream fillets on both sides and place skin side up on a tray with a little olive oil. Cook under grill until skin is nice and crispy.
Dressing the plate
Put spinach at base of the plate with the fennel. Place sea bream fillet half on/half off fennel wedge. Place charred shallots beside fish and sauce around.
Enjoy!
Brian Maule at Chardon d’Or Restaurant, 176 West Regent Street, Glasgow, G2 4RL
Tel: 01412483801 Email : info@brianmaule.com Website : www.brianmaule.com
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