Steamed fillet of Cornish turbot with venison ham crust, langoustine and shrimp puree

Ingredients

For the parsley crumbs
3 handfuls flatleaf parsley, leaves only
3 slices white bread, crusts removed
300ml/½ pint vegetable oil, for deep frying
For the parsley shrimp balls
150g/5½oz salmon
100ml/3½fl oz double cream
1 free-range egg
100g/3½oz brown shrimps, peeled
100g/3½oz langoustines, shells removed, de-veined, finely chopped (reserve shells for the turbot sauce, below)
handful chopped flatleaf parsley
salt and freshly ground black pepper
vegetable oil, for frying
For the turbot with venison crust
4 x 100g/3½oz turbot fillets, skin removed
2 lemons, zest only
venison ham, thinly sliced
For the confit fennel
1 litre/1¾ pint vegetable oil
1 large fennel bulb
1 star anise
2 tsp fennel seeds
2 tsp coriander seeds
½ tsp salt
2 tsp black peppercorns
For the fennel sauce
1 large fennel bulb, finely chopped
100g/3½oz butter
100ml/3½fl oz fish stock
200ml/7¼fl oz double cream
20g/¾oz fresh dill
salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the turbot sauce
olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 leek, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
500g/1lb 2oz prawn shells
250ml/9fl oz red wine
100ml/3½fl oz white vermouth
50g/1¾oz Madeira
1 litre/1¾ pints chicken stock
250ml/9fl oz veal stock
turbot bones (available from fishmongers)
tomato ketchup
50g/1¾oz small capers, rinsed and drained
50g/1¾oz baby onions, peeled, blanched

Method

1. For the parsley crumbs, preheat the oven to 80C/175F/Gas¼.
2. Place the parsley leaves and the slices of white bread onto a baking tray. Place into the oven and leave overnight to dry out.
3. The next day, transfer the parsley and bread to a food processor and pulse to form fine breadcrumbs.
4. For the parsley shrimp balls, place the salmon, cream, and egg into a food processor and blend until smooth.
5. Transfer to a bowl and add the brown shrimps, chopped langoustines and parsley and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
6. Place a tablespoon of the mixture onto a square of cling film. Picking up the edges of the cling film, gather up the mixture to form an enclosed ball of mixture and tightly tie the top of the cling film to seal. Repeat this process three times to form four wrapped balls.
7. Place each ball into a pan of boiling water and cook for eight minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and place into iced water to set.
8. Unwrap the cooked and cooled the shrimp balls and roll in the parsley breadcrumbs to coat completely.
9. Half-fill a saucepan with the vegetable oil and heat until a small cube of bread turns golden-brown in 30 seconds. (CAUTION: Do not leave oil unattended. Hot oil can be dangerous.) Carefully lower the shrimp balls into the hot oil and deep-fry for one minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
10. For the turbot with venison crust, trim the turbot fillets to form squares.
11. Sprinkle lemon zest over the turbot pieces, then place the venison ham on top, trimming to the same size and shape as the turbot fillet. Wrap in cling film to form a parcel and place into the fridge until required.
12. For the confit fennel, heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan to a temperature of 70C/158F.
13. Add the fennel bulb, the star anise, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, salt and peppercorns. Cover with a circle of greaseproof paper cut to fit snugly inside the pan and cook until the fennel is tender. Leave to cool in the oil.
14. Once cool, remove the fennel from the oil and drain on kitchen paper. Cut the fennel into four thick slices, then trim each piece into a square the same size and shape as the turbot.
15. For the fennel sauce, place the finely chopped fennel and the butter into a pan over a low heat. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then add enough fish stock to cover the fennel.
16. Add the cream and cook over a medium heat until most of the liquid has reduced.
17. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a food processor. Add the dill and blend to a smooth purée. Pass through a fine sieve and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
18. For the turbot sauce, heat the olive oil in a clean pan over a medium heat. Add the vegetables and fry until golden-brown.
19. Add the prawn shells and cook for ten minutes.
20. Add the red wine, vermouth and Madeira and bring to the boil. Cook until the volume of liquid is reduced by half.
21. Add the chicken stock and veal stock and the turbot bones. Bring to the boil and skim the surface. Reduce the heat to simmer the sauce until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
22. Pass the sauce through a fine sieve into a jug. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper and add the tomato ketchup.
23. To serve, preheat the oven to 180C/360F/Gas 4.
24. Place the cling film-wrapped turbot fillets into a steamer set over a pan of boiling water for seven minutes, or until just cooked through. Unwrap.
25. Place the shrimp balls and confit fennel onto a roasting tray and place into the oven for 2-3 minutes to warm through.
26. Reheat the purée in a pan over a low heat.
27. Place a piece of confit fennel onto the left-hand side of four plates and place a piece of the steamed turbot and ham on top.
28. Place a spoonful of fennel purée onto the right-hand side of each plate and place a prawn ball on top.
29. Add the capers and the baby onions into the turbot sauce, stir well, and pour the sauce over the fish and serve.