Brill & Wild Garlic Veloute
Brill is a wonderful fish, I love it roasted whole, it has a wonderful buttery texture and nothing is wasted. It is also lovely portioned and grilled like this and any cod fish is a wonderful match to wild garlic.
Sourcing wild garlic simple if you know where to look. If you are foraging, do make sure you do so responsibly - seeking permission and only taking as much as you need. You can also find wild garlic on the shelves of a number of farmshops, for an easier forage!
Serves 2
Prep time: 20
INGREDIENTS
For the wild garlic velouté
200g wild garlic
200g spinach
3 shallots
2 sprigs of thyme
200ml white wine
200ml cream
For the fish
200g portions of brill
Oil for frying
Bring a pot a water to the boil and cook the wild garlic and spinach for 20 seconds, before refreshing the leaves in cold water.
Slice the shallots into half-moons and put them in a pan along with the thyme and wine.
Cook the shallots until the wine has completely evaporated.
Pour the cream over the shallots and allow it to come to the boil.
Strain the greens and squeeze out any excess liquid.
Run your knife through them a couple of times on board and add them to a blender before pouring the cream and shallots over the greens and blending until smooth.
Pass the green velouté through a fine mesh sieve and set the sauce to one side.
Put a small amount of oil in a pan and place it over a high heat.
When the oil is hot, gently place the fish, skin side down in the pan.
Turn the temperature down to a medium heat and allow the fish to crisp for 4 minutes.
Turn the fish and cook for a further minute on the other side.