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James Martin's sea bass en croute with hollandaise sauce
Serves 6 Starters and mains
Ingredients
- 600g puff pastry (homemade or shop bought)
- plain flour, for dusting
- 1 sea bass (approx. 1.2–1.4kg), skinned, boned and cut into 2 fillets
For the mousse
- 75g sea bass, skinned
- 75g scallops
- 125g egg (about 3 eggs), plus 1 yolk
- 200ml whipping cream
- 25g pistachios, chopped
- a few sprigs tarragon, chopped
For the hollandaise sauce
- 250ml white wine
- 100ml white wine vinegar
- 2 thyme sprigs
- 2 tarragon sprigs
- freshly ground black pepper
- 3 egg yolks
- 225g butter, melted
- 35g clotted cream
For the egg wash
- 2 eggs
- 25ml full-fat milk
Method
To make the mousse, blend the sea bass, scallops, whole eggs, egg yolk and cream in a blender, in one movement, until homogenous and smooth. Fold through the pistachios and tarragon and season with salt and pepper. For the egg wash, mix together the eggs and milk.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry to a thickness of 3mm, then divide it into 2 equal pieces. Transfer 1 piece to a baking sheet. Lay the first sea bass fillet on the pastry and spoon the mousse evenly down its centre. Sandwich the other fillet on top. Carefully place the second sheet of pastry on top, trimming any edges to fit, and seal it in with egg wash.
Cut out a pastry fish using the pastry offcuts to decorate the top of the sea bass parcel. Brush the top and sides with the egg wash and chill for 30 minutes, then add the pastry fish.
Preheat the oven to 190C/ 170C F/Gas 5. Bake the fish parcel for 20 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and evenly baked.
While the fish is baking, make the hollandaise. Add the wine, vinegar, thyme, tarragon and 4 grinds of black peppercorns to a pan over a high heat and boil rapidly to reduce by half. Pass this through a sieve and cool. Transfer to a clean jar and keep in the fridge if not using immediately.
In a bowl set over a pan of simmering water, whisk the egg yolks with 3tbsp of the reduction and a good pinch of salt until you have a thick, glossy, light sauce. Then carefully, in stages, whisk in the melted butter, pouring it in a steady stream. Finish the hollandaise by mixing in the clotted cream and seasoning with salt and pepper. Set over a pan of simmering water to keep it warm.
Slice the sea bass en croute and serve with the hollandaise sauce on the side.
This recipe was taken from the Christmas 2021 issue of Food and Travel. To subscribe, click here.
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