Red mullet wrapped in vine leaves with artichoke and black olive socca bread
- Prepare
- overnight
- Cook
- 10 to 30 mins
- Serve
- Serves 2
- Dietary
- Egg-free
Zesty, charred red mullet is a match made in heaven with crisp olive socca.
Ingredients
For the socca bread
- 200g/7oz chickpea flour
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 6 small tinned artichokes, chopped
- 2 rosemary sprigs, leaves removed and chopped
- 3 tbsp pitted black olives, chopped
- 20g/¾oz Parmesan cheese, grated
- freshly ground black pepper
For the red mullet wrapped in vine leaves
- 2 small whole red mullet
- 10g/1/3oz fresh dill, left whole
- 10g/1/3oz fresh tarragon, left whole
- 6 vine leaves in brine
- 1 orange, juice only
- 1 lemon, juice only
- drizzle olive oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the fennel and orange salad
- 1 fennel bulb, cored and thinly sliced
- 1 orange, peeled and segmented
- 10g/⅓oz fresh watercress
- 1–2 tbsp olive oil
Method
To make the socca bread, whisk the flour with 360ml/12fl oz water and the oil in a large bowl, cover and leave overnight in the fridge.
Once rested, preheat the grill to high. Heat the oil in a heavy based pan. Ladle in a thin layer of the batter. Scatter immediately with the artichokes, rosemary and olives. Cook for a minute or so, before placing under the grill to blister a little. This will take 1–2 minutes.
Slice and top with the Parmesan and plenty of black pepper.
To make the red mullet wrapped in vine leaves, season the fish generously. Place 2 vine leaves on a board and place the fish on top and then the herbs and then wrap in the overlapped vine leaves.
Heat a flat griddle pan (or a large frying pan) over high heat, then add the wrapped fish.
Chargrill carefully on both sides, this will take 6–8 minutes. Squeeze over the orange and lemon juice and finish with a drizzle of olive oil.
To make the fennel and orange salad, put all the ingredients into a bowl and toss well to combine.
Serve the wrapped mullets alongside the socca bread and orange salad.
