The Herald - The Herald Magazine
Sea bass in salt dough with prawn mousse An inside job that will delight the senses
THOUGH complex, this week’s dish makes a terrific choice for a dinner party or sharing. Give the recipe the time and effort required – it can be prepared in advance and cooked while your guests unwind – and you will be impressed with the results. As ever, buy the freshest fish and seafood you can find and ask your fishmonger to scale, gut and clean the fish before removing the spine and ribcage for you.
SEA BASS COOKED IN SALT DOUGH WITH PRAWN MOUSSE
Serves 4 Mousse 300g prawns, shelled 2 eggs 150ml double cream 20g parsley A pinch of cayenne pepper Dough 500g plain flour 500g salt 300g whole egg 50ml water 2 x 500g sea bass, prepared by your fishmonger Set the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas mark 4.
First start by making the salt dough. Mix the flour, salt, eggs and water in a large bowl to form a soft dough. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and set aside.
For the prawn mousse, place the prawns in a food processor along with one egg and the white of the remaining egg, reserving the yolk for later. Blend well to form a smooth paste before tipping into a mixing bowl and adding the cream. Mix well and season. Finely chop the parsley and add it to the mousse along with the cayenne pepper.
Lay the fish flat on a chopping board and stuff the mousse in between the two fillets, making sure it is evenly distributed.
Now take the dough and divide it into four equal balls before rolling it out on a clean, floured work surface to 1cm thick. Place one fish on one of the pieces of dough and place another sheet on top. Lightly press the edges together to seal the dough, decorating if desired. Repeat with the other fish.
Whisk the reserved egg yolk and brush the dough with it to form an even glaze.
Place the fish in the oven for 30 minutes or so, removing them when golden brown.
Allow the fish to rest for 10 minutes before slicing the dough open and serving at the table with a light salad or boiled potatoes with a generous helping of butter. Alternatively, remove the fish completely from the dough and serve.