Ingredients

• 4 large plaice fillets
• skinned and pin boned
• salt
• to season the fish
• 3 tbsp plain flour
• 75g/3oz butter
• 115g/4oz samphire
• 115g/4oz white crab meat
• picked
• 2 tbsp finely chopped capers
• 2 tbsp finely chopped flatleaf parsley
• 1 tbsp finely chopped chives
• 1 tbsp finely chopped chervil
• 2 hard-boiled eggs
• finely chopped
• 3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• ½ lemon
• juice only
• to taste
• 25g/1oz butter
• 1 shallot
• finely diced
• 1 garlic clove
• finely diced
• 75g/3oz brown crab meat
• passed through a fine sieve
• 75ml/2½fl oz white wine
• 3 tbsp mayonnaise

Directions

• Season the plaice with a little salt then dust with the flour.
• Heat a frying pan until hot
• add half the butter and the plaice fillets
• presentation side down and cook for 1- 1 ½ minutes until just cooked then turn over and cook for another 45 seconds.
• Remove from the pan and rest for a couple of minutes.
• Heat a frying pan until medium hot
• add the remaining butter and the samphire and sauté for 2-3 minutes until just tender.
• For the white crab
• place all the ingredients
• except the olive oil and lemon juice
• into a bowl and mix well to combine.
• Add enough olive oil so that the mixture just holds together if pressed lightly into a quenelle.
• Check the seasoning and add a little lemon juice if necessary.
• For the brown crab
• heat a frying pan until medium hot
• add the butter
• shallots and garlic and sweat for 2-3 minutes until just softened.
• Add the sieved brown crab meat
• whisk well to combine then add the white wine and bring to a simmer.
• Cook for a minute until just reduced then remove from the heat and whisk in the mayonnaise.
• Check the seasoning and add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
• To serve
• pile some samphire onto the centre of each serving plate then top with a plaice fillet.
• Form a quenelle of the white crab meat and set on top of the plaice. Drizzle the brown crab sauce around the edge of the dish.