Grey mullet with pearl barley pudding, black garlic and spring onion

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Grey mullet is served on a bed of pearl barley and supported by a black garlic purée in this stunning recipe from Steve Drake. A Jerusalem artichoke purée gives the pearl barley pudding its creamy edge, providing a nice counterpoint to the unctuous fish.

Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Grey mullet

  • 4 grey mullet
  • rapeseed oil
  • salt

Lemon oil

Jerusalem artichoke purée

Black garlic purée

Cep soil

Pearl barley

Spring onions

Equipment

  • Mandoline
  • Muslin cloth
  • Silpat mat
  • Squeezy bottle
  • Sous vide equipment

Method

1
First make the lemon oil. Seal all of the ingredients in a vac pac bag and cook at 50°C in a water bath for 12 hours, then drain through muslin. At the same time, soak your pearl barley, also for 12 hours, then drain
2
For the Jerusalem artichoke purée, peel and thinly slice the artichokes using a mandoline. Transfer to a pan, pour in the milk and seasoning and bring to a gentle boil
3
Turn down to a simmer and cook with the lid on until there is no liquid left. Transfer to a blender, blitz until silky smooth and pass through a sieve. Store in the fridge until required
4
For the black garlic purée, separate the garlic cloves and simmer gently in enough water to cover until soft. Strain the garlic, reserving the water, and pop the garlic out of their skins. Purée in a blender with enough cooking water to form a thick paste. Store in a squeezy bottle until ready to serve
5
In a food mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and pale in colour, then on a low speed, add the cep powder, salt and flour and just bring together. Roll into 6 equally sized logs and freeze until set
6
Preheat the oven to 160°C/gas mark 3
7
Remove the logs from the freezer and grate onto a silpat. Place in the oven for 3 minutes
8
Remove from the oven and leave to cool before lightly breaking up with a fork into a fine crumb. Store in an airtight container until ready for use
9
For the pearl barley, sweat the shallots until soft but not coloured, add the pearl barley and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cover with the fish stock, bring to the boil then simmer for approximately 30 minutes, or until soft
10
Bring a pan of lightly salted water to the boil and add the spring onions. Blanch for 2-3 minutes then drain
11
Cut the spring onions in half lengthways and place, cut-side down, on a very hot griddle pan. Cook until they have nice char lines, remove and leave in a warm place
12
Return the Jerusalem artichoke purée to the pan and warm through. Add a little cream to achieve a silky-smooth consistency
  • cream
13
Combine 1 small ladle of pearl barley with the artichoke purée and warm to risotto consistency
14
To cook the fish, season the skin of each fillet. Place a large non-stick frying over a medium-high heat with a dash of rapeseed oil. Once the pan is hot, place each fillet, skin-side down, into the pan and apply gentle pressure to ensure that each fillet is flat
  • 4 grey mullet
  • rapeseed oil
  • salt
15
Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes, until the skin is crispy and lightly golden. Remove the pan from the heat, turn each fillet over and allow the residual heat of the pan to cook the fish for a further 1 minute
16
Divide the pearl barley pudding into the centre of each plate, followed by a drizzle of the lemon oil. Squeeze out dots of black garlic purée alongside and place each fillet on top of the pearl barley, sprinkle a thin line of cep crumb over the fish. Finish with the charred spring onion and serve immediately

Steve Drake started cooking while attending South End Technical College. Only a few years later, he started working his way up the ladder at The Ritz and earned a prestigious Roux Scholarship. Now he cooks at Sorrel, a modern British restaurant in Dorking, Surrey.

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