Whole stuffed red mullet with marinated mushrooms – by Gary Rhodes

INGREDIENTS

(serves four)

For the stuffing 4 aubergines (one scant kilo)
150ml olive oil
1 red pepper, finely diced
1 green pepper, finely diced
8 mushrooms, each cut into six pieces
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 large clove of garlic, crushed
2 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
1 tomato, blanched and cut into dice
Salt and pepper

For the fennel butter sauce
1 large head of fennel
150ml fish stock
1 large shallot, chopped
1 star anise
White wine
Pernod
1tbs cream
Butter
Salt and pepper

For the mushrooms
300ml water
60ml olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
Dash of balsamic vinegar
1 bay leaf
Sprig of thyme
A few black peppercorns
A few coriander seeds
Pinch of salt
8 large chestnut mushrooms
4 x 300g red mullet, butterfly filleted, and heads removed
Pig's caul crépinette, soaked in chilled water
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

METHOD

First, to make the stuffing, roast the aubergines with the olive oil in a medium oven until thoroughly softened. Allow to cool and peel. Squeeze out the excess water and chop. Cook the diced peppers, mushrooms, shallots, garlic, anchovy and tomatoes in one tablespoon of the olive oil for 10-15 minutes until softened. Add the aubergine and mix well. Season with salt and pepper.

To make the fennel butter sauce, cut the fennel into brunoise, keeping the trimmings. Cook the brunoise in the fish stock and reserve the cooking liquor. Sweat down the shallot with the fennel trimmings and star anise, then deglaze with white wine and a touch of Pernod. Reduce until almost dry, then add the cream and monte the sauce with butter. Season, pass, and add the cooked brunoise.

Prepare the marinade for the mushrooms by bringing the water, olive oil, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, bay leaf, thyme, peppercorns, coriander seeds and salt to a simmer, and cook for a few minutes. Add the mushrooms, then return to the simmer and cook for 5-6 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow the mushrooms to cool and marinate in the liquor.

Spoon some of the farce between each fish and fold over to close. Wrap each fish in crépinette and refrigerate.

To roast the fish, heat a trickle of olive oil in a frying or roasting pan, season with salt and pepper, and colour on top of the stove. Finish in the oven for 6-8 minutes.

Slice the mushrooms and arrange overlapping on to the plates. Trickle a little of the marinade liquor over and warm slightly under a salamander.

To serve, sit the roasted mullet on top of the mushrooms and trickle over the fennel butter sauce.

Gary Rhodes