WHOLE BRILL BAKED IN SEA SALT WITH SHALLOTS, BRAISED CAVOLO NERO AND SALSA VERDE

Firm and sweet, brill is similar in flavour to turbot. Ask your fishmonger to gut the fish and remove the gills.

PREPARATION TIME 40 minutes, plus resting

COOKING TIME about 1 hour

SERVES 4

FOR THE SALSA VERDE

30g white bread, torn into pieces Zest ½ lemon plus 20ml lemon juice 15ml white wine vinegar

60g flat leaf parsley, finely chopped 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 20g each of anchovies and capers, finely chopped

150ml olive oil

FOR THE BRILL

1 x 1.7-2kg brill, kept whole, skin on 2 lemons, sliced

50g lemon thyme sprigs

2kg rock salt

5 medium egg whites, lightly beaten Toasted pine nuts and red dahlia petals, to garnish, optional

FOR THE SHALLOTS

30ml olive oil

2 banana shallots, skin on, trimmed and halved

50g butter

5 thyme sprigs

2 garlic cloves, crushed

FOR THE CAVOLO NERO

50ml olive oil

2 white onions, finely chopped 1kg cavolo nero, thinly sliced and large stalks removed

100g sultanas, soaked in boiling water to cover

75g pine nuts

1 To make the salsa verde, put the bread into a bowl with the lemon juice and white wine vinegar and leave to soak for a few minutes.

2 Stir the lemon zest, parsley, garlic, anchovies and capers into the soaked bread. Add the olive oil and season to taste. Set aside.

3 Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6. Line a large baking tray with baking parchment.

4 Stuff the fish cavity with the sliced lemons and lemon thyme. 5 In a bowl, mix the rock salt with the egg whites. Spread a 1cm thick layer of the mixture over the base of the baking tray, then lay the fish on top. Cover the fish with the rest of the salt.

Bake the fish in the oven for 45min. Remove and leave to rest for 20min. 6 Meanwhile, prepare the shallots. Put a frying pan over medium-low heat, add the oil and put in the shallots cut-side down. Cook for 10-12min, until soft and tender all the way through. Add the butter, thyme and garlic and continue cooking until the shallots are golden brown. Keep hot.

7 Meanwhile, cook the cavolo nero. Put a pan over medium-hot heat, add the olive oil and cook the onions for 2-3min. Add the cavolo nero along with a splash of water and cook, covered, for 4-5min. Drain the soaked sultanas and add to the pan with the pine nuts. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Keep hot.

8 Remove the crust from the fish and discard, brushing away any excess salt at the same time. Peel away the skin and separate the first two fillets. Remove the bone and separate the remaining fillets.

9 Divide the fish between 4 plates and dress it with the salsa verde. Garnish each dish with toasted pine nuts and dahlia petals, if using. Serve with the shallots and cavolo nero.