Blue-eye in a spicy broth with clams

Name: Blue-eye in a spicy broth with clams
Cook time: 1 h
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Contemporary
Ingredients: 3 cloves garlic, chopped; 1 tbsp grated ginger; ½ tbsp roasted fennel seeds; 1 tsp sea salt; ½ tsp smoky sweet paprika; ½ tsp mild chilli flakes; 200g fresh peas in their pod; ½ bunch asparagus; 4 x 150g blue-eye fillets; 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 1 red onion, finely sliced; 50g Spanish chorizo, finely diced; 1 cup white wine; 1 cup chicken stock; 600g clams, soaked in cold water for 1 hour; 60g unsalted butter; freshly ground pepper; small handful flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

Neil Perry

December 15, 2015

Blue-eye in a spicy broth with clams, asparagus and peas.William Meppem

Time:30 mins - 1 hourServes:4

This one-pot wonder brings together the flavours of fish and clams in a delicious broth. Mussels and pipis also work well in this dish.

Ingredients

3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbsp grated ginger
½ tbsp roasted fennel seeds
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp smoky sweet paprika
½ tsp mild chilli flakes
200g fresh peas in their pod
½ bunch asparagus
4 x 150g blue-eye fillets
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 red onion, finely sliced
50g Spanish chorizo, finely diced
1 cup white wine
1 cup chicken stock
600g clams, soaked in cold water for 1 hour
60g unsalted butter
freshly ground pepper
small handful flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

Method

In a mortar with a pestle, pound garlic, ginger, fennel seeds and ½ tsp salt into a rough paste. Add paprika and chilli flakes and pound a little more.
Pod the peas. Remove woody ends from asparagus and cut into 2-3cm lengths.
Season FISH FILLETS with ¼ tsp salt. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a deep frying pan over a high heat and when hot, sear fish on both sides to get a nice crust. Remove and set to one side. Heat remaining oil in pan and add onion, chorizo and ¼ tsp salt. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the spice paste and cook for 2 more minutes. Deglaze with wine and simmer for a few minutes.
Add the peas, asparagus, stock and clams, then bring to a simmer for 2 minutes. Return fish to the pan and simmer, covered, for another 3-5 minutes, until the fish has cooked through and the clams have opened. Remove from the heat and gently stir through the butter. Give a good grind of pepper, taste for seasoning and stir through the parsley.
Divide FISH among four bowls, spoon the juices and clams over the fish and serve immediately, with a couple of extra bowls for discarding the clam shells.
HOT TIP
It's important to soak clams well to avoid a gritty dinner.