RED WINE POACHED HALIBUT WITH LENTILS & MUSHROOMS

The red wine here gives the fish a fabulous colour – just be careful not to overcook it. King oyster mushrooms taste brilliant – and look a bit like little fish when you cut them in half! If you can’t find them, use regular oyster, large chestnut or portobello mushrooms.

Serves 2

200ml (7fl oz) red wine 300ml (½pt) chicken stock 1 sprig of thyme, plus extra to garnish

Salt

3 black peppercorns

2tbsp olive oil

2 thick slices of smoked streaky bacon, finely diced

1 small onion, finely diced 100g (3½oz) dried puy lentils

75ml (2½fl oz) white wine 1tsp dried herbs de provence

2 pieces of halibut, around 150g (5½oz) each 1 large king oyster mushroom (from specialist grocers or try larger branches of Waitrose), cut in half lengthways

Butter

Juice of ½ a lemon

70g (2½oz) spinach

Oil, for cooking

Pour the red wine and 100ml (3½fl oz) of the chicken stock into a small deepsided frying pan, then add one of the thyme sprigs, a pinch of salt and the peppercorns. Bring to a gentle simmer and bubble for 5 minutes, then remove from the heat.

While the stock is infusing, heat 1tbsp of the olive oil in a saucepan and add the diced bacon. Cook over a medium heat until crispy, then stir in the onion and cook until softened. Stir in the lentils, white wine and herbs de provence. Bring to the boil, then add the remaining 200ml (7fl oz) chicken stock and turn the heat down. Cook for a further 25-30 minutes until the lentils are just soft.

When the lentils are nearly ready, return the red wine and stock mixture to the heat and bring up to a gentle simmer. Carefully drop in the halibut and simmer for 10-12 minutes.

Score the mushroom halves in a criss-cross pattern using a knife. In a small frying pan, heat the remaining oil and add the mushrooms, cut sides down. Cook until you get a golden colour, then turn them over and add a knob of butter and the lemon juice. Baste and sprinkle with a little salt to taste.

Blanch the spinach in a pan of boiling water, drain then add a little butter. Spoon the cooked lentils on to 2 plates along with the buttered spinach. Remove the fish from the red wine mixture and place on top. Add the oyster mushroom halves and garnish with extra thyme.