- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 banana shallot, finely chopped
- ½ garlic clove, crushed
- 150g/5½oz chestnut mushrooms
- pinch madras curry powder
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 500ml/18fl oz light chicken stock
- 100g/3½oz mussels, cleaned
- 100g/3½oz cockles, cleaned
- 100ml/3½fl oz white wine
- 100ml/3½fl oz mineral water
- 1 wild sea bass (2-3 kg/4lb 6oz – 6lb 8oz), scaled, cleaned, filleted, deboned and portioned
- 50g/1¾oz unsalted butter
- 120g/4oz mixed wild mushrooms (girolle, pied de mouton, pied bleu), trimmed
- 4 bunches turnip tops (turnip greens)
- ½ lemon, juice only
- 100g/3½oz fregola, cooked until al dente
- For the mushroom stock, heat the oil in a large pan. Cook the shallot and garlic until soft, add the mushroom and turn up the heat. Mix in the curry powder. Cook for a minute then add the thyme and stock. Bring to the boil then simmer for 30 minutes. Take off the heat. Allow to infuse for 30 minutes then pass through a fine cloth into a clean pan. Heat until reduced in volume to about 250ml/9fl oz and a rich mushroom flavour is achieved.
- For the shellfish stock, discard any open shellsfish that do not close when given a sharp tap. Heat a large, lidded pan and add the shellfish, wine and water. Cover with the lid, shake the pan and cook for 3 minutes, or until the shells open and a good amount of stock has formed. Pour into a large strainer over a bowl. Allow to drain. Discard any shells which have not opened.
- When cooled pick the meat from the shells into a clean bowl and set aside. Strain the stock through a fine sieve and then through a fine wet cloth or mesh to make sure there is no sand or grit.
- Heat the stock in a pan over a high heat until it is reduced in volume to about 250ml/9fl oz and has a strong shellfish flavour. Set aside.
- For the vegetables, heat half the butter in a pan and cook the wild mushrooms gently until tender.
- Blanch the turnip tops in boiling water for a few seconds. Pat dry. Heat the remaining butter in a clean pan and cook the turnip until tender. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice.
- For the sea bass, heat a frying pan and add the oil. Once hot add the fish skin side down. Cook on each side for 2 minutes. Remove from the pan and allow to rest.
- Mix the mushroom and shellfish stocks to make a broth. Add the mushrooms, the meat from the shellfish and the fregola.
- To serve divide the broth between serving bowls. Dress with the turnip tops and add a piece of sea bass.