Red mullet

Method

• 1

  Clean and fillet the red mullets. Place the fillets on a plate and add the chopped lemongrass, salt, pepper, the grated zest of 1 lemon and 2 tablespoons of Olitalia ‘La nostra Riserva’ extra virgin olive oil. Cover the plate with some cling film and leave the mullets to marinate for 30 minutes. Use the mullet bones, some water, and ice to prepare a fish fumet.

  • 2

    Sauté some chopped shallots with Olitalia ‘La nostra Riserva’ extra virgin olive oil and add the peas. Cook for 2 minutes, then add some water and fumet. Blast chill, blend, and strain the mixture through a sieve. Clean the artichokes down to the hearts and blanch them with water and lemon. Then, soak them in water and ice.

    • 3

      Meanwhile, mix 130 g. brown sugar with 100 g. lemon juice and add 1 bay leaf, then let the sugar melt. Cut the artichokes into fine julienne strips and season them with the sweet and sour lemon juice, and with some oil, salt, and pepper; leave the artichokes to rest at room temperature. Sieve the ricotta cheese and season it with chopped fennel leaves, pink peppercorn and salt.

      • 4

        Use the ricotta cheese to stuff the mullet fillets. Clean the broad beans and put them in a pan with some oil and chopped shallots. Pan-fry the broad beans quickly so that they remain crunchy. Place the seasoned mullets in the oven, sprinkle some brown sugar on top and drizzle with Olitalia 'La nostra Riserva' extra virgin olive oil. Bake at 130°C/ 266°F degrees for about 8 minutes. Shell the almonds and toast them in the oven at 180°C/ 356°F, then cut them into slivers.

      • Garnishing and food planting

      • Place some pea cream at the centre of the dish, and arrange the mullet fillets, the broad beans and the slivered almonds on the sides. Drizzle some Olitalia 'La nostra Riserva' extra virgin olive oil on top.