Ingredients

• 1kg/1lb 2oz potatoes
• such as Desirée
• Belle de Fontenay
• Estima or Maris Piper
• peeled
• cut into quarters
• 2 litres/3 pints 10½fl oz cold water
• 200ml/7fl oz full-fat milk
• 60g/2½oz unsalted butter
• 2 pinches sea salt
• 2 pinches freshly ground white pepper
• 30g sliced white bread
• cut into 1cm/½in cubes
• 4 x 180g/6oz pollock fillets
• about 3cm/1¼in thick
• skin on
• bones removed
• 4 pinches sea salt
• 1 pinch freshly ground white pepper
• 60g/2½oz unsalted butter
• 50ml/2fl oz hot brown chicken stock
• 50ml/2fl oz hot water
• 30g/1¼oz capers
• drained
• rinsed
• ½ lemon
• peeled
• segmented
• roughly chopped
• 30g/1¼oz shallot
• peeled and finely chopped
• 30g/1¼oz caper berries
• 10g/½oz chopped fresh flatleaf parsley
• 10g/½oz chopped fresh chervil

Directions

• For the pommes purées
• bring the potatoes to the boil in a large pan of cold
• salted water. Reduce the heat until the water is just simmering and cook for 25-30 minutes
• or until the potatoes are soft.
• Drain well in a colander
• setting the drained potatoes aside for 2-3 minutes to drive off the excess steam.
• Mash the potatoes until smooth using a potato ricer or masher. Return the potato purée to a saucepan
• add the milk and beat well until combined.
• Beat in the butter until the mixture is fluffy and forms firm peaks
• then season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground white pepper. Keep warm.
• Meanwhile
• for the pollock
• preheat the oven to its highest setting.
• Scatter the bread cubes onto a large baking tray and dry roast in the oven for 3-4 minutes
• or until crisp and golden-brown. Remove the croûtons from the oven and set aside.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
• Pat the pollock fillets dry using kitchen paper
• then season all over
• to taste
• with the salt and freshly ground white pepper.
• Heat the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat. When the butter is foaming and starting to brown
• add the pollock fillets
• skin-sides facing upwards
• and fry for 4-5 minutes
• or until two thirds of each fish fillet has turned opaque.
• Using a fish slice
• carefully turn each pollock fillet over and continue to cook for a further 2-3 minutes.
• Transfer the fish fillets to a cold ovenproof frying pan and roast in the oven for 3-4 minutes
• or until just cooked through
• then set the fish fillets aside on a warm plate to rest.
• Return the frying pan used to cook the pollock to a high heat. Add the brown chicken stock and water and bring to the boil.
• Add the capers
• chopped lemon segments
• shallots
• caper berries and two-thirds of each of the herbs. Stir well and continue to cook for 1-2 minutes
• or until warmed through. Season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground white pepper.
• To serve
• spoon the pommes purées into the centre of each of 4 serving plates. Place one pollock fillet on top of each portion. Spoon over the caper and lemon sauce
• then sprinkle over the croûtons and the remaining herbs.