Pan-seared meagre with surf and turf mushroom jus, scallops, and langoustines

Ingredients

• 320 g skin-on meagre fillets, scaled and pin-boned
• 120 g fresh sea scallops, side muscle and roe removed
• 120 g raw langoustine tails, peeled
• 180 g firm cremini mushrooms
• 120 g fresh oyster mushrooms
• 2 pieces fresh scallions
• 1 piece shallot
• 1 clove fresh garlic
• 250 ml ready-to-use fish stock
• 4 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 2 tsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp oyster sauce
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 25 g unsalted butter
• 1 tsp rice vinegar
• to taste fine sea salt
• to taste ground white pepper

Method

1. Remove the meagre, scallops, and langoustines from the refrigerator and let them sit at room temperature for 15 minutes to take off the chill. Pat the fish thoroughly dry on both flesh and skin sides with paper towels; the skin must be completely dry to the touch to ensure crispness.
2. Clean the mushrooms with a damp cloth. Slice the cremini mushrooms, shred the oyster mushrooms by hand, finely mince the shallot, finely grate the garlic, and thinly slice the scallions, keeping the white and green parts separate.
3. Make the jus: In a small saucepan, sweat the shallot in olive oil over medium heat (around 285 °F / 140 °C) for 3 minutes until translucent without browning. Add the grated garlic, stir for 30 seconds until fragrant, then deglaze with the Shaoxing wine.
4. Simmer the wine over medium heat for 2 minutes until syrupy and reduced by half. Pour in the fish stock, light soy sauce, and oyster sauce, then bring to a gentle simmer (around 195 °F / 90 °C) for 8 minutes, until the jus reduces by one-third and lightly coats the back of a spoon.
5. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high heat (around 350 °F / 180 °C). Add the mushrooms and let them sear undisturbed for 3 minutes, then add the scallion whites and a pinch of salt, and saute for another 3 minutes until tender and well browned. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
6. In the same very hot skillet, sear the langoustines over high heat for 45 seconds per side (about 1 minute 30 seconds total), until they curl and turn opaque and pearlescent in the center. Transfer immediately to a plate.
7. Still over high heat in the same skillet, sear the scallops for 1 minute 30 seconds on the first side undisturbed until a golden crust forms, then flip and cook the other side for just 30 seconds to keep the center translucent at 115 °F / 45 °C. Transfer to the plate with the langoustines.
8. Season the flesh side of the meagre with fine salt and white pepper. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat (around 340 °F / 170 °C). Place the fillets skin-side down and apply gentle pressure with a spatula for 30 seconds to keep the skin flat.
9. Cook the meagre on its skin for 4 to 5 minutes without moving it: the skin will sizzle evenly and turn crisp and golden brown while the flesh turns opaque three-quarters of the way up. Gently flip the fillets flesh-side down.
10. Immediately add the butter to the skillet. As soon as it foams and turns nutty brown (around 265 °F / 130 °C), spoon it over the fish for 1 minute until the internal temperature reaches 118 to 122 °F / 48 to 50 °C. Transfer to a wire rack and let rest for 3 minutes.
11. Reheat the jus over very low heat (around 160 °F / 70 °C, without boiling) for 1 minute, add the reserved mushrooms, langoustines, and scallops just to warm them through, then stir in the rice vinegar.
12. Arrange the mushrooms, langoustines, and scallops neatly in the center of warmed plates. Rest the meagre fillet on top, crisp skin facing up, ladle the hot jus around the base, and scatter the scallion greens over the dish.

Nutrition

Per serving

Energy

663.3 kcal

Protein

60.45 g

Carbohydrate

16.3 g

Fat

38.6 g

Fibre

4.58 g

Calcium

15.67 mg

Iron

0.73 mg

Magnesium

18.6 mg