Plaice with leeks, mint and beaujolais

Ingredients

100g/4oz leeks
100g/4oz butter
1 smoked back bacon rasher, cut into thin strips
1 tsp chopped fresh mint
175ml/6fl oz beaujolais
50ml/2fl oz port
290ml/½ pint fish stock
½ tsp caster sugar
4 plaice fillets, weighing about 75g/3oz each, skinned
salt and freshly ground black pepper
sprigs of fresh mint, to garnish

Method

1. Cut the leeks in half lengthways and once more into quarters if they are quite large. Cut across these strips into 1cm/½in pieces.
2. Bring a small pan of salted water to the boil, add the leeks and simmer for a few minutes until tender but still al dente. Drain them well.
3. Melt 15g/½oz butter in a small pan, add the bacon and leeks and cook gently until all the excess water has evapourated.
4. Stir in the mint and season with some salt and pepper. Set aside and keep warm.
5. Preheat a grill to high.
6. Put the beaujolais, port, fish stock and sugar into a large pan and boil rapidly until reduced by three-quarters.
7. Melt another 15g/½oz butter and brush over both sides of each plaice fillet. Season with salt and pepper and lay them on the lightly oiled rack of the grill pan. Grill for 2 minutes.
8. Dice the remaining butter. Bring the reduced wine and stock back up to the boil and then whisk in the butter, a few small pieces at a time. Adjust the seasoning if necessary.
9. To serve, spoon the leeks on to four warmed plates. Put the plaice fillets on the plates and pour the sauce around. Garnish with sprigs of fresh mint.