Crispy skin black drummer, beurre noisette, boulangère potatoes (serves 2)

Thanks Chef Jai Gibbons


Ingredients list

  • 1 medium sized black drummer (filleted skin on)( bones and head cleaned)
  • 4 medium Desiree/red skin potatoes
  • 150g butter
  • 1 tablespoon capers (rinsed and drained)
  • 1 bunch of parsley
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • 1 stick of celery (cut into chunks)
  • 1 onion (cut into chunks)
  • 1 carrot (peeled and cut into chunks)
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 sprig rosemary
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1 sprig of thyme
  • 200mls of drummer stock
  • 30ml of veg oil

 

Method

Stock- take the head and frame from the black drummer and rinse in cold water until all the blood is gone, remove the eyes and gills from the head. Add to pot with 1.5l water, carrot, onion, and celery. Bring to boil and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Skim the fat and scum regularly. Take off the heat and let it rest and then strain.

Boulangère potatoes-thinly slice potatoes, using a mandolin helps, layer them like fish scales in a baking dish, add a pinch of butter, very small amount of salt and pepper and a few pieces of thyme, rosemary and bay leaf on each layer. Repeat until all the potatoes have been used up. Top the final layer with olive oil, salt pepper and herbs. Add 200mls of drummer stock and wrap with foil. Bake for around 30 minutes, remove foil and bake until slightly golden on top.

Crispy skin fish-portion the drummer fillets into manageable sized portions usually 2-3 portions per fillet. Score the portions. Leave the portions skin side up with paper towel on the skin until dry.

Preheat a heavy based or cast iron pan to a high heat, add the veg oil and heat until shimmering. Sprinkle salt over the fish skin and gently place it skin side down in the pan.

Press down on the fish slightly and let it relax in the pan so the skin lies flat. Turn the pan down to medium and continue cooking until the skin is crisp and golden and the fish is about 70% cooked. Add 30g of butter and flip the fish over and spoon the foaming butter over the skin for about 20 seconds. Remove the fish from the pan and put it onto the serving plates. Quickly add the remaining butter to the pan and add the capers and parsley and cook until crisp and the butter starts to brown. Squeeze some lemon juice in and take off the heat. Spoon the capers, parsley and brown butter over the fish. Serve with the boulangère potatoes and enjoy.