- 500ml/18fl oz chicken stock
- 125g/4½oz unsalted butter
- 400g/14oz wild mushrooms (preferably a mix of morels, ceps and black trumpets)
- 100ml/3½fl oz double cream
- 150g/5oz purple sprouting broccoli, cut into small florets
- 1½ bunches baby heritage carrots, in a mix of colours
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 4 fillets halibut, skin on and pin-boned, seasoned with salt and pepper
- 100g/3½oz unsalted butter
- 8 sprigs fresh chervil, to garnish
- vegetable oil, for deep frying
- 1 large potato, peeled
- 1 egg yolk
- 12 quail’s eggs, soft boiled
- Put the chicken stock in a saucepan set over a medium-high heat. Cook until the volume of liquid has reduced by a third.
- For the halibut, heat a large frying pan and add the oil. When hot, add the fish skin-side down and cook for 2-3 minutes. Turn the fish over and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.
- Meanwhile, for the mushrooms, heat a large frying pan and add 50g/1¾oz of the butter. When the butter is foaming, add the mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the cream and reduced stock, then season with salt and pepper.
- Heat a large saucepan of boiling water and blanch the broccoli and carrots. When tender, drain and refresh the vegetables in ice-cold water.
- Heat a large frying pan and add the remaining butter, once hot add the broccoli and carrots and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Preheat a deep-fat fryer to 180C. Alternatively, heat the vegetable oil in a deep-sided, heavy bottomed pan until a breadcrumb turns golden-brown when added to the pan. (CAUTION: Hot oil is dangerous. Do not leave unattended).
- For the halibut, add the butter to the pan and baste the fish. Set aside to rest before serving.
- For the quail eggs, put the potato onto the spiraliser and turn to create long strands of potato. Place in a bowl with the egg yolk and mix to coat the potato. Wrap the spiralised potato around the quail’s eggs. Place in the deep fryer for 1-2 minutes and drain on kitchen paper.
- Place the fish in the centre of serving plates and arrange the vegetables, mushrooms and quail eggs around the fish. Garnish with a few sprigs of chervil and serve.