Ingredients

• 1kg/2lb 2oz wide-cap flat mushrooms
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3 large shallots
• chopped
• 2 garlic cloves
• sliced
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ½ lemon
• juice only
• 1 litre/1¾ pints hot vegetable or chicken stock
• 250ml/9fl oz double cream
• 150g/5oz unsalted butter
• cubed (optional)
• 6 tbsp olive oil
• 100g/3½oz mixed wild mushrooms
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 small fillets fresh red mullet
• de-scaled and boned
• 75ml/2½fl oz crème fraîche
• 2 shallots
• finely chopped
• 1 sprig fresh chervil
• chopped
• 1 sprig fresh tarragon
• chopped
• 1 sprig fresh coriander
• chopped
• few chives
• chopped
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• few drops lemon juice
• drizzle extra virgin olive oil

Directions

• For the soup
• remove the dark gills from the mushrooms and discard them. Wash and dry the mushrooms
• then cut into 2mm slices.
• Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-based pan
• add the shallots and cook until just coloured. Add the garlic and cook until soft
• then add the mushrooms.
• Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• and cook for 5-8 minutes or until the mushrooms are golden.
• Add the lemon juice and the stock. Bring to a rapid simmer and then turn down to a low heat to gently simmer for 15 minutes.
• Check the seasoning again
• adding more salt and freshly ground black pepper
• to taste
• if necessary.
• Ladle the soup into a blender or food processor and allow to cool for two minutes. Blend until smooth
• then strain through a fine sieve back into a clean pan.
• To finish
• add the cream and stir it in over a medium heat - you can also stir in cubed butter for a silkier finish. Keep warm.
• For the red mullet and mushrooms
• heat a frying pan until hot then add three tablespoons of olive oil
• the wild mushrooms and a pinch of salt.
• Stir-fry the mushrooms until cooked through
• then remove them with a slotted spoon and transfer onto a plate lined with kitchen paper.
• Season both sides of the red mullet with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Heat a second frying pan until hot then add the remaining olive oil and the red mullet skin-side down.
• Give the pan a little shake to ensure that the fish doesn't stick. The fish may curl up
• but do not press it down as this will zip back the skin - leave the fish be and the fillets should flatten out naturally.
• Cook for 1½ minutes on the skin side
• then turn over and cook for a further minute
• or until completely cooked through.
• Remove the fish from the pan and transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper.
• For the shallot and herb crème fraîche
• place the crème fraîche into a small bowl and add the shallots and chopped herbs. Add salt
• freshly ground black and lemon juice to taste and stir to combine.
• To serve
• put a small mound of the cooked wild mushrooms in the middle of four wide-rimmed soup bowls. Place a fillet of red mullet on top of each serving and pour the soup around. Spoon the crème fraîche mixture on top of the fish
• so it melts into the soup. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil around to taste.