Rock Flathead with Mussels & Vermouth from Henrys

Henrys Rock Flathead with Mussels & Vermouth Cream Sauce

Serves: 4

Ingredients

Flathead:

• 1 kg flathead fillets, skin on and boned

Mussels:

• 500 g mussels, cleaned and debearded
• 100 ml white wine
• 5 thyme sprigs
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed

Vermouth cream sauce (350 ml):

• 180 g onion, sliced
• 100 ml blended oil
• 285 g dry vermouth
• 285 g cream
• 10 g lemon juice
• Salt and pepper
• 2 g each mint, chives, tarragon and parsley, chopped

Herb salad:

• 2 g chervil
• 2 g tarragon
• 2 g flat-leaf parsley
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• 10 ml extra-virgin olive oil

Croutons:

• 1 small Turkish bread
• Olive oil and salt Optional herb oil (50 ml):
• 10 g flat-leaf parsley
• 5 g basil
• 3 g tarragon
• 3 g mint
• 60 ml vegetable oil

Method

Vermouth cream sauce

• Sauté the onion in the blended oil over low heat for 30 minutes without colouring
• Deglaze with vermouth and reduce until it just coats the onions, then leave to infuse for 30 minutes
• Add the cream, bring to the boil, then remove from the heat
• Strain, season with salt and pepper, and stir in the lemon juice

Mussels

• Place mussels, white wine, thyme and garlic in a pot with a lid
• Cook over high heat until the mussels open (about 1 minute)
• Remove from shells, chop and set aside

Flathead

• Cook skin-side down in a hot pan or over charcoal until the skin is crisp (about 3 minutes)
• Flip the fillets and cook until just done

Croutons

• Tear the Turkish bread into small pieces, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt
• Bake in a 160°C fan-forced oven for about 30 minutes until crunchy

Herb salad

• Toss chervil, tarragon, parsley and shallot with olive oil

Optional herb oil

• Blanch the herbs for 10 seconds, refresh in iced water and squeeze dry
• Blend the herbs with warm oil (60–65°C) until smooth, strain and chill
• Alternatively, finish the dish with extra-virgin olive oil

To serve

• Place the flathead on plates
• Spoon the vermouth cream sauce with mussels over the fish
• Scatter croutons and top with the herb salad
• Drizzle with herb oil if using

HENRYS

13 Well Street, Brighton