Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 banana shallot
• finely chopped
• ½ garlic clove
• crushed
• 150g/5½oz chestnut mushrooms
• pinch madras curry powder
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 500ml/18fl oz light chicken stock
• 100g/3½oz mussels
• cleaned
• 100g/3½oz cockles
• cleaned
• 100ml/3½fl oz white wine
• 100ml/3½fl oz mineral water
• 1 wild sea bass (2-3 kg/4lb 6oz - 6lb 8oz)
• scaled
• cleaned
• filleted
• deboned and portioned
• 50g/1¾oz unsalted butter
• 120g/4oz mixed wild mushrooms (girolle
• pied de mouton
• pied bleu)
• trimmed
• 4 bunches turnip tops (turnip greens)
• ½ lemon
• juice only
• 100g/3½oz fregola
• cooked until al dente

Directions

• For the mushroom stock
• heat the oil in a large pan. Cook the shallot and garlic until soft
• add the mushroom and turn up the heat. Mix in the curry powder. Cook for a minute then add the thyme and stock. Bring to the boil then simmer for 30 minutes. Take off the heat. Allow to infuse for 30 minutes then pass through a fine cloth into a clean pan. Heat until reduced in volume to about 250ml/9fl oz and a rich mushroom flavour is achieved.
• For the shellfish stock
• discard any open shellsfish that do not close when given a sharp tap. Heat a large
• lidded pan and add the shellfish
• wine and water. Cover with the lid
• shake the pan and cook for 3 minutes
• or until the shells open and a good amount of stock has formed. Pour into a large strainer over a bowl. Allow to drain. Discard any shells which have not opened.
• When cooled pick the meat from the shells into a clean bowl and set aside. Strain the stock through a fine sieve and then through a fine wet cloth or mesh to make sure there is no sand or grit.
• Heat the stock in a pan over a high heat until it is reduced in volume to about 250ml/9fl oz and has a strong shellfish flavour. Set aside.
• For the vegetables
• heat half the butter in a pan and cook the wild mushrooms gently until tender.
• Blanch the turnip tops in boiling water for a few seconds. Pat dry. Heat the remaining butter in a clean pan and cook the turnip until tender. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice.
• For the sea bass
• heat a frying pan and add the oil. Once hot add the fish skin side down. Cook on each side for 2 minutes. Remove from the pan and allow to rest.
• Mix the mushroom and shellfish stocks to make a broth. Add the mushrooms
• the meat from the shellfish and the fregola.
• To serve divide the broth between serving bowls. Dress with the turnip tops and add a piece of sea bass.