Pan fried pollack with curry spices, fennel, confit tomatoes and white onion puree

Ingredients

For the confit tomatoes
6 large ripe plum tomatoes (on the vine)
3 garlic cloves, finely sliced
olive oil, for drizzling
For the confit garlic
150ml/5fl oz vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves
For the white onion purée
50g/2oz unsalted butter
4 small white onions, peeled, finely sliced
For the fennel garnish
small handful fresh thyme, leaves only
25g/1oz butter
200ml/7fl oz chicken or vegetable stock
10 heads baby fennel
For the herb tempura
300ml/10fl oz vegetable oil, for deep frying
85g/3oz plain flour
1 tbsp cornflour
chilled sparkling water
small handful each chervil, dill, parsley, leaves only
pinch sea salt
pinch curry powder
For the roasted pollack
4 pollack fillets
1 tsp curry powder
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing
For the sauce
1 bottle red wine
375ml/13fl oz bottle port, such as ruby port
splash of aged balsamic vinegar

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2.
2. For the confit tomatoes, carefully drop the tomatoes into a pan of boiling water for 30 seconds, remove from the hot water and plunge into iced water. Peel, quarter and de-seed the tomatoes and lay the tomato flesh on a baking tray. Top each piece of tomato with a slice of garlic and drizzle with a little olive oil. Cook in the preheated oven for two hours.
3. For the confit garlic, pour the vegetable oil into a small pan and heat gently. Add the garlic cloves and gently fry over a very low heat for 40 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
4. For the white onion purée, heat half the butter in a small pan, add the onion slices, stir well, and cover with a circle of parchment paper cut to fit snugly inside the pan, covering the onions. Place over a very low heat and gently fry for 30-40 minutes or until softened but not coloured. Drain any excess moisture from the onions and place in a food processor. Blend to a thick purée, add the rest of the butter and blend again. Set aside and keep warm.
5. For the fennel garnish, place the thyme, butter and stock into a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the baby fennel heads and braise for ten minutes or until softened slightly but not coloured.
6. For the herb tempura, pour the vegetable oil into a medium saucepan and heat until a small cube of bread turns golden in 30 seconds. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)
7. Place the flour and cornflour into a large bowl and gradually add enough sparkling water to make a batter the consistency of double cream. Dip chervil, dill and parsley leaves into the batter and then carefully lower into the hot oil. Fry for a few seconds or until golden-brown, remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Season with salt and a little curry powder.
8. For the roasted pollack, turn the oven up to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Sprinkle the pollack with the curry powder, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan, add the seasoned pollack fillets to the pan and pan-fry on one side for 1-2 minutes. Place the pollack (fried side up) onto a greased baking tray and finish in the oven for 8-10 minutes, basting often with the juices on the tray.
9. For the sauce, pour the wine and port into a large pan, bring to the boil and simmer until the liquid has reduced by two-thirds in volume. Add the balsamic vinegar, to taste.
10. To serve, reheat the confit tomatoes, fennel garnish and onion purée. Place equal amount of the the onion purée onto each of four serving plates, top with the roasted pollack and a spoonful of the wine sauce. Garnish with the braised fennel, herb tempura, confit tomatoes and garlic.