“Halibut has loads of flavour and colours-up beautifully when cooked with a knob of butter. Here it’s served with Shetland blue shell mussels and a creamy rich sauce made using fish stock from the halibut carcass. If you can, make your own stock and freeze any left over. And always use fresh herbs!”

Serves 2

Cooking time: 20 minutes; prep time: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS

x2 150g halibut fillets

1 handful blue shell mussels, beards removed and washed

75ml white wine

1 sprig of thyme

1 shallot, roughly chopped

500ml fish stock

250ml double cream

A bunch of dill, stalks and fronds separated

1 small leek, roughly chopped

Half an onion, roughly chopped

2 knobs of butter

1 tablespoon rapeseed oil

Lemon juice

1 teaspoon of parsley / chives, chopped

Good salt and pepper 

METHOD

To make the sauce, add the wine, shallot and thyme to a pot and bring to the boil. Reduce by two thirds. Then add the fish stock (retain a couple of tablespoons for later) and reduce by two thirds. Add the cream and bring to the boil being careful that it doesn’t boil it over. Simmer for 5 minutes then add the dill stalks. Season with salt and pepper, and lemon juice if needed. Strain through a fine sieve and keep warm.

Next, cook the onion and leek in a knob butter and the remaining fish stock for 5 to 7 minutes until soft. Season and set to one side.

To cook the fish, place a non-stick frying pan on the hob, add the rapeseed oil and bring to a medium heat. Season the fish with salt and pepper and carefully pat dry on a tea bowl. Add the fish to the pan and cook for a few minutes on one side. When it’s just about colouring, flip the fish over and add a knob of butter. Baste and season again with salt, pepper and lemon juice.

As the fish cooks, bring the sauce to the boil and add the mussels. Return to the boil; the mussels will open quickly. Stir in the chopped parsley and chives.

To serve, place the leeks on a plate and top with the fish. Drizzle the sauce over the dish and top with a few fronds of dill.