Gurnard is a fish that is very much under rated in this country, it can be seen in a handful of restaurants but no where near enough. It's a small bottom feeder that is abundant in and around the British isles, as well as the west coast of Europe. Once used as fish bait, now its used by chefs as a cheap dish that is packed full of flavor.
Recipe:
2 Red Gurnard Fillets
Salt
1/8 Lemon
Choucroute:
1 Jar of Pickled cabbage
1 sliced onion
1 tbl fennel seeds
1 tbl cumin seeds
1 tbl crushed juniper
1 orange zest
30ml duck fat
100ml white wine
10g thyme leaves
Roast Parsley Root:
2 parsley root
30g butter
Salt
Wheat Beer Velouté:
6 sliced shallots
1 clove garlic
50g butter
30ml veg oil
1 bottle of wheat beer
300ml fish stock
300ml double cream.
50ml milk
We'll start off by making the sauce; firstly place the shallot, garlic, butter and veg oil into a medium heated pan and sweat down until everything turns golden brown then add the wheat beer. Reduce by half, add fish stock, reduce by half again. Add the cream, then bring to the boil. Take off the heat, blend and strain the liquid to get rid of all the bits.
For the choucroute, heat a pan and add the duck fat, onions and a little seasoning. Sweat the onions down and add the aromats. After a couple more minutes, add the wine and reduce by half. Add the pickled cabbage and the thyme leaves and heat through.
To roast the parsley root, blanch it in salted water for 4 minutes and then place into a hot pan with a splash of oil, butter and a little seasoning. Roast well until the veg is golden brown. Drain on a cloth.
Pan fry the gurnard fillets in a non stick pan skin side down until almost cooked then flip it into the meat side for 30 seconds, place onto a tray to the side and add a little squeeze of lemon juice.
Place the choucroute into a bowl, place in the parsley root, top with the gurnard. Heat the velouté up and add a dash of milk, foam with a hand blender and top the dish with a few tablespoons of sauce.
This dish can be altered anyway you wish but first,try and stick to the same techniques and you won't go wrong.
@cheftemple
