Brin Pirathapan's Butterfly Red Mullet with Roasted Winter Vegetables, Curry Sauce & Crispy Leeks
What you’ll need
- The Fish Society Butterfly red mullet - 4
- The Fish Society Fish stock - 1 (500ml0=)
- Leeks - half a leek
- Double cream - 50ml
- Tamarind - 1 tbsp
- Miso - 1 tbsp
- White wine - 250ml
- Curry powder - 1 tbsp
- Curry leaves - approx 20
- Garlic cloves - 4
- Shallots - 2
- Ground cumin - 1 tsp
- Salt
- Olive oil
- Raddish - 250g
- Carrots - 3
- Maris piper potato - 450g
Let's Cook!
Step 1
Roast the vegetables: Preheat oven to 200 °C. Peel and cube potatoes and carrots (1 cm) and quarter radishes. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a roasting tin in the oven. Once hot, add the vegetables, 3 crushed garlic cloves, a few curry leaves, 1 tsp ground cumin, and a pinch of salt. Roast for 45 minutes, stirring halfway.
Step 2
Make the curry sauce: Finely dice 2 shallots and roughly chop 4 garlic cloves and ½ inch ginger. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat, add 10 curry leaves, then the shallots, garlic, and ginger. Once softened, stir in 1 tbsp curry powder and 250 ml dry white wine. Cook until the wine nearly reduces.
Step 3
Finish the sauce: Add 1 tbsp miso, 1 tbsp tamarind, and 500 ml fish stock. Simmer over medium-high heat for 15 minutes.
Step 4
Prepare crispy leeks: Cut leeks into 10 cm sections, halve lengthways, remove the outer three layers, stack, and finely slice into thin strands. Fry in a layer of olive oil over medium heat until lightly golden, then drain on kitchen towel.
Step 5
Cook the fish: Pat butterflied red mullet fillets dry. Heat a frying pan with olive oil over medium-high heat. Place fillets skin-side down, pressing gently. Cook 3 minutes, then flip and cook 1–2 minutes more.
Step 6
Serve: Plate roasted vegetables, top with fish, sprinkle with crispy leeks, and pour sauce around. Serve one fillet as a starter or two for a main.
