Lemon sole with courgettes & brown shrimp

If you can only find large lemon sole, serve two between four people.

SERVES 4 PREP 40 mins COOK 11/2 hrs MORE EFFORT

4 small lemon sole, skinned (see step 1, or ask your fishmonger) 1 lemon olive oil

For the leeks

3 leeks, green ends trimmed and halved 50g unsalted butter 15 turns of black pepper (we used Tellicherry) For the brown shrimps 25ml white wine 200g peeled brown shrimps

100g butter, softened good pinch white pepper

pinch mace pinch cayenne pepper

1/2 tbsp chopped parsley 1/2 tbsp chopped chives lemon juice, to taste For the courgettes 3 small courgettes 1 unwaxed lemon, zested and juiced

15ml extra virgin olive oil For the mashed potato 1.5kg Desirée potatoes, baked in their skins 200g butter

30g grated Ogleshield cheese or cheddar 100ml milk

1 Skin the fish on both sides, making a cut across the tail-end and pulling the skin upwards towards the head. Trim off the frill and the tail. Remove the head and blood-line, wash and pat dry with kitchen paper. 2 Slice the leeks into 2-3mm half-moons and wash. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the leeks and coat them in the butter. Season with the pepper and a pinch of salt. Cook over a medium heat until soft but not browned. Cool the leeks in the fridge to preserve their colour.

3 For the shrimps, boil the wine briefly to burn off the alcohol, take off the heat and, while still warm, (but not hot) add the shrimps and softened butter, taking care the butter doesn’t split. Add the spices, parsley, chives and lemon juice to taste. Set aside.

4 Slice the courgette finely, then dress them with the zest, lemon juice and olive oil. Set aside.

5 Scoop the flesh from the potatoes, mash and cool. Melt the butter in a small saucepan, and melt the cheese into the milk in a separate pan. Season the potato with salt and beat into the melted butter mixture until it comes off the sides of the pan like a smooth dough. Now stir in the milk and cheese. Check the seasoning and set aside.

6 Heat two large frying pans on a high heat and carefully place two lemon sole in each pan. Season with salt and press the fish down with a spatula to stop it curling. Fry for 3-4 mins each side on slightly less than full heat until golden. Rest on a warm tray and dress with lemon and olive oil and season the other side. Warm the leeks and shrimps in separate pans, spread the leeks over the fish and add some of the buttery shrimps. Arrange the courgette slices in a scale pattern over the fish, add a few more shrimp and a bit more butter. Serve with the mash.

GOOD TO KNOW folate • fibre • vit c • 2 of 5-a-day • gluten free

PER SERVING 1,312 kcals • fat 92g • saturates 53g • carbs 69g • sugars 9g • fibre 11g • protein 44g • salt 4.2g