Brill with glazed shallots, mushroom sauce and garlic kale
This is a fish supper with style, full of umami flavours from the mushrooms, red wine and glazed shallots.
Ingredients
For the chicken stock (makes 1.7 litres/3 pints)
- bones from a 1.5kg/3lb 5oz uncooked chicken or 450g/1lb chicken wings
- 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
- 2 celery sticks, sliced
- 2 leeks, sliced
- 2 fresh or dried bay leaves
- 2 thyme sprigs
For the brill
- 15g/½oz dried porcini mushrooms
- 90g/3¼oz unsalted butter
- 12 small shallots, peeled and chopped
- ½ tsp sugar
- 8 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 900ml/1½ pints chicken stock (see above or use good-quality stock)
- 1 thick slice cooked ham, cut into small cubes
- 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
- 1 leek, trimmed and chopped
- 1 celery stick, chopped
- ½ onion, chopped
- 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 2 thyme sprigs
- 50ml/2fl oz red wine
- 4 x 175g/6oz brill fillets, skin removed
- 100g/3½oz wild mushrooms, sliced
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the confit garlic
For the kale
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- confit shallot (see above)
- 120g/4½oz kale, chopped
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
To make the chicken stock, place all of the ingredients and 2.3 litres/4 pints water in a large saucepan and bring just to the boil, skimming off any scum from the surface as it appears. Leave to simmer very gently for 2 hours – it is important not to allow it to boil as this will force the fat from even the leanest chicken and make the stock cloudy.
Strain the stock through a muslin-lined sieve into a bowl and set aside 900ml/1½ pints stock for the brill. For the remaining stock, leave to cool, then chill in the fridge or freeze for later use.
To make the brill, soak the porcini in 150ml/5fl oz warm water for 30 minutes. Drain, reserving the soaking liquor.
Heat 25g/1oz butter in a shallow lidded frying pan that is wide enough to lay the brill fillets side by side. Add the shallots, sugar and garlic and cook until lightly browned. Barely cover with some of the stock and add the ham, ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Simmer gently until the shallots and garlic are tender. Turn up the heat and boil rapidly until the stock has reduced to a thick sticky glaze, shaking the pan now and then so that the shallot, garlic and ham become well coated. Remove the shallot, garlic and ham from the pan, transfer to a plate and keep warm. Set the frying pan to aside, unwashed.
Heat 25g/1oz butter in a saucepan, add the carrot, leek, celery and onion and fry until nicely coloured. Add the remaining chicken stock, balsamic vinegar, 1 thyme sprig, red wine and the soaking liquor from the porcini mushrooms and simmer for 20–30 minutes. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve and discard all of the vegetables.
Heat a small knob of butter in a large frying pan. Add the brill fillets, skin-side down, and cook for about 1 minute until lightly browned. Season with salt and pepper and place side-by-side in the pan used for glazing the shallots. Pour over the strained red wine mixture and add the remaining thyme sprig. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes until the brill is cooked through.
Meanwhile, melt another 15g/½oz butter in a frying pan, add the porcini and wild mushrooms and fry briskly for 2–3 minutes. Season with a little salt and pepper.
Remove the brill from the pan and keep warm. Boil the remaining liquid until reduced, then whisk in the remaining butter. Stir in the mushrooms.
To make the confit shallot, place the garlic and oil in a microwaveable safe bowl. The oil must cover the shallot. Microwave on full power for 30 seconds. Microwave for another 30 seconds. Rest for 2 minutes.
To make the kale, heat the oil in a wok over a high heat. Add the confit garlic until sizzling. Add the kale and stir until wilted. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve the brill on four warmed plates. Add the glazed shallot mixture and spoon over the mushroom sauce. Serve the garlic kale on the side.
