Brill en Croute, Creamed Leeks, Cider Sauce

Ruth Hansom is back with this Brill en Croute. It has a scallop mousse running through it, spinach and then it is wrapped in some Cumbrian air dried ham. It is a great alternative to your standard wellington...and a cut above!

Ingredients

  • 3x 120g brill fillets (around 1-1.5cm thick- this can be a larger fillet split down)
  • 200g scallop white scallop meat
  • 200ml double cream
  • 1 egg white
  • 1 egg yolk to glaze
  • Zest of one lemon
  • 10g chives
  • 200g baby leaf spinach
  • Nutmeg to taste
  • 100g Cambrian air dried Ham
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 x large crepe with chives through
  • 450g all butter puff pastry – rolled
Cider Sauce
  • Any fish/scallop bones or trim from making the brill en croute
  • 100g fennel
  • 1 shallot
  • 1 stick celery
  • 1 sprig rosemary
  • Leek trim from creamed leeks
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 lemon
  • 50ml white balsamic vinegar
  • 200ml dry cider
  • 200ml chicken stock
  • 200ml double cream
  • Salt to taste
Creamed Leeks
  • 2 x leeks – diced 1cm, trim kept for sauce
  • ½ clove of garlic, minced
  • 300ml double cream
  • 10g lovage
  • Salt, nutmeg to taste

Method

  1. Sautee the spinach in a little oil and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Chill and squeeze out all moisture
  2. Make a scallop mousse by blending the scallop, cream and egg white and finish with lemon zest, salt and chives to taste
  3. Lay out the crepe on cling film and then layer with the ham. Place a brill fillet on top, followed by a layer of spinach, a layer of scallop mousse and another brill fillet. Repeat
  4. Gently wrap the fish layers with the ham and the crepe and roll in cling film. Allow to chill and firm up.
  5. Place the fish onto half of the puff and place another layer on top. With a knife cut to the shape of a fish ( see picture) use cutters to score scales on the fish and add eyes and a mouth
  6. Brush with egg yolk and bake in the oven at 190c for 20-25 mins

For the Cider Sauce

  1. Sweat fish/scallop trim. Add chopped fennel, shallot, garlic, rosemary, celery, and leek and sweat
  2. Add the cider and reduce
  3. Add stock and reduce by half
  4. And cream, bring to the boil and remove from heat and allow to infuse for 1 hour
  5. Pass and adjust with salt, lemon and white balsamic

Creamed Leeks

  1. Sweat leeks and garlic
  2. Add double cream and allow to reduce
  3. Season with salt and nutmeg
  4. Add the chopped lovage and serve

Ingredients

  • 3x 120g brill fillets (around 1-1.5cm thick- this can be a larger fillet split down)
  • 200g scallop white scallop meat
  • 200ml double cream
  • 1 egg white
  • 1 egg yolk to glaze
  • Zest of one lemon
  • 10g chives
  • 200g baby leaf spinach
  • Nutmeg to taste
  • 100g Cambrian air dried Ham
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 x large crepe with chives through
  • 450g all butter puff pastry – rolled
Cider Sauce
  • Any fish/scallop bones or trim from making the brill en croute
  • 100g fennel
  • 1 shallot
  • 1 stick celery
  • 1 sprig rosemary
  • Leek trim from creamed leeks
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 lemon
  • 50ml white balsamic vinegar
  • 200ml dry cider
  • 200ml chicken stock
  • 200ml double cream
  • Salt to taste
Creamed Leeks
  • 2 x leeks – diced 1cm, trim kept for sauce
  • ½ clove of garlic, minced
  • 300ml double cream
  • 10g lovage
  • Salt, nutmeg to taste

Method

  1. Sautee the spinach in a little oil and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Chill and squeeze out all moisture
  2. Make a scallop mousse by blending the scallop, cream and egg white and finish with lemon zest, salt and chives to taste
  3. Lay out the crepe on cling film and then layer with the ham. Place a brill fillet on top, followed by a layer of spinach, a layer of scallop mousse and another brill fillet. Repeat
  4. Gently wrap the fish layers with the ham and the crepe and roll in cling film. Allow to chill and firm up.
  5. Place the fish onto half of the puff and place another layer on top. With a knife cut to the shape of a fish ( see picture) use cutters to score scales on the fish and add eyes and a mouth
  6. Brush with egg yolk and bake in the oven at 190c for 20-25 mins

For the Cider Sauce

  1. Sweat fish/scallop trim. Add chopped fennel, shallot, garlic, rosemary, celery, and leek and sweat
  2. Add the cider and reduce
  3. Add stock and reduce by half
  4. And cream, bring to the boil and remove from heat and allow to infuse for 1 hour
  5. Pass and adjust with salt, lemon and white balsamic

Creamed Leeks

  1. Sweat leeks and garlic
  2. Add double cream and allow to reduce
  3. Season with salt and nutmeg
  4. Add the chopped lovage and serve