Brill with seaweed – by Peter Weeden

Ingredients (Serves 2)

2 cutlets of brill
200g spring seaweed
30ml olive oil
Unsalted butter
Salt and pepper
75ml beef or veal glace/gravy
1tbs red wine
1 bunch watercress (optional)
2 lemon halves

Method
Ask your fishmonger for cutlets of brill, cut through the bone, and about 300g per portion (this is quite a generous size).

Bring a pan of water to the boil and blanch the spring seaweed for 30 seconds. Refresh in ice water.

Pan-fry the brill in a hot pan in a little oil, colouring the exposed flesh then turning on to the skin and roasting for 5-10 minutes per side at 175°C. Rest in a warm place for 10 minutes with a knob of butter. Season.

Warm the seaweed in butter and season - but pay attention to the natural saltiness.

Heat the gravy, finishing with a tablespoon of red wine (Pinot Noir is a good match, but not from Alsace). Spoon the seaweed on to the plate, gently remove the skin from the fish, place on the seaweed. Pour the gravy around and serve with lemon (and watercress). Serve with a bottle of the Pinot Noir.

Peter Weeden, head chef, Paternoster Chop House, London