Ingredients

• ½ cucumber
• peeled and quartered lengthways
• 2 shallots
• sliced
• 100ml/3½fl oz white wine
• 100ml/3½fl oz white wine vinegar
• 30ml/1fl oz double cream
• 250g/9oz unsalted butter
• diced
• salt
• to taste
• cayenne pepper
• to taste
• 2 lemons
• juice only
• 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 2 red mullets
• filleted and pin-boned
• borage cress
• cucumber flowers

Directions

• Heat a dry non-stick pan and put the cucumber quarters seed side down in the pan. Leave them that way until seared and toasted. Add a knob of the butter and a pinch of salt to the pan and turn the cucumber over. Continue to cook for a few more minutes. Remove and set aside.
• Heat a saucepan and add the shallots
• wine and vinegar and cook until the shallots are soft. Transfer to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Pass through a sieve.
• Add a tablespoon of the shallot purée and the cream to a separate pan. Heat the shallot cream
• then add the diced butter a bit at a time.
• Once fully incorporated
• season with salt
• cayenne pepper and lemon juice.
• Heat a medium frying pan and add the oil. Once hot
• add the fillets and cook for two minutes on each side. (Add a knob of butter and a squeeze of lemon juice towards the end if you want to add more flavour. Spoon the melted butter over the fish.)
• To serve
• place the seared cucumber on each plate
• then lay the fish next to the cucumber.
• Dress with the sauce and cress and flowers.