21st November 2011
Ray & Langoustines with Fennel Purée and Clam Emulsion by Mark Stubbs
Fresh-tasting, punchy fennel makes the perfect partner for seafood, as demonstrated in Mark Stubbs' recipe from Britain's Best Dish - The Chefs, which got him through to the quarter finals of the show.
Serves 4
For the fennel purée
2 young fennel bulb, trimmed and diced
Splash of olive oil
12g fennel seeds
100ml pastis
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the clam emulsion
15g diced carrot
15g diced white part of a leek
1 celery stick, trimmed and diced
1 shallot, peeled and finely diced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely diced
Splash of olive oil
3 fronds of dill, snipped
120ml dry white wine
20 clams in their shells
20ml double cream
20–30g cold unsalted butter, diced
Few drops of lemon juice
For the ray and langoustines
12 langoustines or large tiger prawns in their shell
1 medium-sized wing of ray, skinned, or 4 fillets of plaice
Drizzle of lemon juice
8 sprigs of tarragon, leaves chopped
For the baby leeks
12 baby leeks
Knob of unsalted butter
For the baby carrots
12 baby carrots
60g butter
To serve
Coastal herbs, such as sea purslane, stonecrop and samphire (optional)
1. To make the fennel purée, sweat the fennel in a little oil over a medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add the fennel seeds and continue to sweat for a few more minutes. Add the pastis and simmer for about 1 minute to cook off the excess alcohol. Cover the fennel with water and reduce until almost all of the liquid has evaporated. Transfer to a food processor and blend to a purée, then pass through a sieve, adjust the seasoning and keep warm.
2. For the clam emulsion, sweat the carrot, leek, celery, shallot and garlic in the oil over a medium heat. Then add the dill, wine and clams, cover with a lid and cook for about 3 minutes until the clams have opened.
3. Strain all the liquid through a muslin cloth, remove the clams and pick them out of their shells. Reserve the clams in a little of the liquid and set aside. Reduce the remaining liquid over a medium heat by a third, then add the double cream and whisk in the cold butter. Finish with a little lemon juice, if needed. Keep warm.
4. To cook the skate and langoustines, first blanch the langoustines or prawns in boiling salted water. Refresh in cold water, then peel off their shells and reserve the flesh.
5. Fillet the skate (if using) from the cartilage, keeping the flesh intact. If using skate, trim it into portions. Then put the skate or plaice onto individual pieces of cling film. Season lightly with salt and pepper and add a few drops of lemon juice.
6. Roll the shelled langoustines in the tarragon and place evenly along the centre of the fish fillets. Roll each tightly in cling film to make a sausage shape. Tie both ends of the cling film, place in the fridge and leave the rolls for at least 10 minutes to set. To cook the fish, place the rolls in a pan of simmering water and cook for 10–12 minutes until the centre of each roll is piping hot. To test this, insert a sharp knife into the centre of one roll, remove and test the temperature of the blade on the back of your wrist. Remove the rolls from the pan and allow to rest for 1 minute.
7. To cook the baby leeks, blanch them in boiling salted water and then refresh in cold water.
8. For the baby carrots, put them in a pan, pour in enough water to come halfway up the carrots, add the butter and a pinch of salt and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 5–6 minutes until all the water has evaporated and the carrots are tender.
9. To serve, reheat the leeks in a pan by melting the butter and adding an equal portion of water. Pick the little pearls from the herbs (if using) and add them to the clam emulsion. Divide the fennel purée between warmed plates and add the baby vegetables. Remove the cling film from the fish rolls, then cut into slices, arrange on the plates and finish with the clams and spoonfuls of the clam sauce.
Mark is head chef at Wheelers Oyster Bar in Whitstable. Have you eaten there? If so, send The Good Food Guide your feedback!
Mark's recipe from Britain's Best Dish - The Chefs, along with the other 112 recipes featured in the show, can be found in the sumptuous new recipe book Britain's Best Dish - The Chefs.