DAVID WOODS: Celebrate with some great fish this Good Friday

Kickstart the Easter weekend with a mouth-watering fish dish and a sauce that will surprise you, says David Woods, executive head chef of the Sofitel London Gatwick Hotel.
Pan-fried trout fillet and scallop with passion fruit fish velouté and rustic potatoesPan-fried trout fillet and scallop with passion fruit fish velouté and rustic potatoes
Pan-fried trout fillet and scallop with passion fruit fish velouté and rustic potatoes

The great thing about working with a team of chefs is seeing how ideas evolve.

Take this fish dish created by a couple of my chefs for our Good Friday menu. They started with a beautiful whole wild trout that had just been delivered to the kitchen and, within a while and much discussion between them, they had created this dish with a delicate fish sauce, which just shouts ‘spring’.

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The surprising ingredient is passion fruit, used so subtly in the sauce that there is just a hint of fruitiness which pairs with the cream and fish. It would be perfect with any fish or shellfish.

David WoodsDavid Woods
David Woods

Fish on Friday is still a tradition in most houses, but why not start the Easter celebrations with something a bit more special. After all, it is Good Friday, not average Friday, right?

La Brasserie is Sofitel’s 2 AA rosette restaurant. To book a table call 01293 567070 or email [email protected]. Follow us on Twitter. Share your Easter recipes with us on Instagram by tagging @SofitelLondonGA.

Pan-fried trout fillet and scallop with passion fruit fish velouté and rustic potatoes

Serves four

4 trout (or salmon) fillets

4 scallops

Rapeseed oil for frying

300ml fresh fish stock – available from good supermarkets

50ml white wine

100ml double cream

25g butter, cubed

One passion fruit

For the rustic potatoes:

500g new potatoes, skins left on

50ml double cream

50g grated gruyere cheese

One lime

Dessert spoon of chopped dill

Method

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You can make the rustic potatoes 24 hours in advance. Boil the new potatoes in salted water until soft, and then crush them with a potato masher.

Boil the 50ml double cream and stir into the mash with the grated gruyere and dill. Add the zest from the lime and half its juice. Combine all the ingredients and then use your hands to form into small patties. These can be left in the fridge overnight, or until you are ready to use.

For the fish velouté: add the white wine to the fish stock and boil until it reduces to about 150ml. Add the 100ml of double cream and reduce again until you have about 150ml. If you prefer the sauce slightly thicker, mix one teaspoon of cornflour with a splash of water and stir into the sauce. Cook for about one minute before whisking in the cubed butter until you have a glossy sauce.

Cut the passion fruit in half and scrape the seeds and juice into a sieve. Push the juice through the sieve and stir into the hot sauce.

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When you are ready to serve, pan fry the potato patties in a little oil until golden brown on both sides. Keep warm. Pan fry the trout or salmon fillets, skin side down, for two minutes. Turn over and cook for a further two minutes. Meanwhile, pan fry the scallops for two minutes each side.

Arrange the fillets and scallops onto four plates with the rustic potatoes and a drizzle of the fish velouté sauce. Serve with some tender stem broccoli.

Chef’s tip

Instead of lime, try adding different flavours to the rustic potatoes. Try chopped herbs or smoked paprika or nutmeg. Perfect with roast chicken.

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