Fillet of halibut Devon crab crust, crab and ginger sauce

Ingredients

• 800g halibut fillet (from large fish without bones or skin)
• 1 x live Cock crab cooked humanely or ready picked crab claw meat
• 400g spinach
• 400g broad beans
• 4 x large potatoes
• 250ml sweet white wine
• 100g chopped shallot
• 100g chopped celery
• 200g fresh diced tomatoes
• 50g tomato puree
• 25ml brandy
• 1 lemon
• 25g fresh ginger
• 1x egg
• 400ml double cream
• 200g butter

Method

Cut halibut fillet into 4 equal size pieces, trim edges so it looks neat keep trimmings Place halibut trimmings into a food processor and blitz. Add 1 egg white and 25m of the cream. Season Break the claws to get the white claw meat, pick through to remove any shell, keep the shells. Tip: doing this on stainless steel tray makes it easier as you can hear the shell bits that have been missed.

Spread a little of the fish mousse on top of the brill and sprinkle the crab meat on top. Pat down to secure.

Cook halibut crab side down in a hot non-stick pan with a small amount of butter or oil until golden in colour. Turn over add a little more butter and cook slowly for approx 5/7 minutes. Tip: don’t shake the pan while halibut is crab side down.

Lift with a palette knife to see under.

Roast the crab shells in a heavy pot. Tip: really dry the shells during this time will enhance the flavour and stop the sauce being too thin in consistency. Add the chopped shallot and celery, cook until shallots are soft then add tomato puree and brandy to reduce. Add fresh tomatoes, roughly chopped ginger and lemon cut into quarters. Cook until all liquid has evaporated. Add sweet white wine, reduce until syrupy consistency.

Add rest of double cream and bring to the boil.

Simmer gently for 5 minutes until the cream starts to thicken. Pass through a fine sieve or chinoise and season to taste Peel the potatoes and grate into a bowl then season with salt and pepper.

Squeeze any excess water out. Tip: if you leave the grated potato to stand for a while after seasoning more water will come out making a crispier potato. Place into a large non-stick pan or 4 small non-stick pans with plenty of butter. Cook until golden brown and crispy then turn over to do the other side. Remove from pan – if using large pan cut using a 10cm diameter cutter.

Drain on kitchen roll/paper and keep warm De-pod the broad beans and cook in boiling salted water until tender – approx 5 minutes. Cool and deshell Pick and wash the spinach, cook in a large wok or sauté pan with a little butter and season to taste. Gently re-heat the broad beans in the crab sauce.

Arrange on the plate.