Pan-seared tub gurnard, Cognac shrimp oil, and spicy leeks

Ingredients

• 600 g very fresh whole tub gurnard, scaled and gutted, or skin-on fillets
• 180 g raw large prawns, peeled, with heads and shells reserved
• 6 tbsp shrimp oil
• 6 cl VS or VSOP Cognac
• 1 piece slender leek
• 1 bunch fresh scallions
• 1 piece fresh mild to medium red chili
• 20 cl ready-to-use fish stock
• 1 tsp oyster sauce
• 1 tsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp rice vinegar
• 25 g cold unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp neutral cooking oil
• 1 tsp potato starch
• to taste fine salt
• to taste ground white pepper
• 1 piece organic untreated lime

Method

1. If the tub gurnard is whole, fillet it or have the fishmonger fillet it with the skin on. Remove any remaining pin bones with tweezers, pat the fillets thoroughly dry on both the flesh and skin sides with paper towels, then season lightly with salt. Let rest for 10 minutes at room temperature: the skin must be completely matte and dry before cooking to prevent sticking.
2. Prepare the leek: trim, split lengthwise, rinse thoroughly to remove all grit, and slice thinly. Separate the white and light green parts of the scallions, reserving the dark green tops for garnish. Thinly slice the chili, removing some of the seeds if you prefer milder heat.
3. Sweat the sliced leek and the white parts of the scallions in a wide skillet with a little neutral oil over medium heat (around 140 °C). Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring regularly, until the fibers become tender, glossy, and translucent without taking on any color. Add the sliced chili and cook for 2 minutes more.
4. Season the leeks with light soy sauce, oyster sauce, and a dash of rice vinegar. Stir over very low heat (around 90 °C) for 2 minutes until you have a tight, moist mixture with no loose liquid pooled in the pan. Cover and keep warm off the heat.
5. Heat a skillet with a thin film of neutral oil over high heat to 180 °C (shimmering surface). Sear the prawns for 1 minute on the first side, then 30 to 45 seconds on the other side, until pink, opaque, and plump. Immediately transfer to a plate.
6. Off the heat, pour the Cognac into the same skillet, then return to medium-high heat. Scrape up any browned bits with a spatula and let reduce for 1 to 2 minutes until syrupy and no alcohol vapors remain. Pour in the fish stock and boil rapidly for 4 to 5 minutes to reduce by half.
7. Lower the heat to very low (around 80 °C, below a simmer), whisk in the shrimp oil, then mount with the cold diced butter for 1 to 2 minutes until glossy and emulsified. Return the prawns to the sauce for 1 minute to gently warm them through, then remove from the heat.
8. Lightly dust the skin side of the gurnard fillets with potato starch, tapping off any excess. Heat a nonstick or carbon steel skillet with a film of neutral oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 170 °C to 180 °C.
9. Place the fillets skin-side down in the skillet, pressing gently with a spatula for the first 20 seconds to keep them flat. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes on the skin side over medium-high heat without moving the fish, until the skin is deep golden brown, crisp, and the flesh turns opaque two-thirds of the way up.
10. Delicately flip the fillets, turn the heat to very low, and cook flesh-side down for 1 minute to 1 minute 30, until the internal temperature reaches 52 °C on an instant-read thermometer (flesh pearlescent and flaky). Remove from the skillet and let rest for 2 minutes on a warm wire rack. Season with a light grind of white pepper.
11. Spoon a thin bed of melting leeks into the center of each plate. Top with the gurnard, crisp skin facing up. Arrange the prawns around the fish and spoon a ribbon of the warm emulsified sauce around the plate. Garnish with the sliced green scallion tops, finely grated lime zest, and a few drops of fresh lime juice just before serving.

Nutrition

Per serving

Energy

892.1 kcal

Protein

81.43 g

Carbohydrate

15.25 g

Fat

55.29 g

Fibre

4.28 g

Calcium

67.08 mg

Iron

1.45 mg

Magnesium

24.3 mg