2434. PAN-FRIED BRILL with CREAMED CABBAGE and BACON

4 tablespoons olive oil
4 rashers of unsmoked streaky bacon, derinded and chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
½ celeriac, peeled & diced
½ head of Savoy cabbage, core removed, finely shredded
200ml fresh cream
4 brill fillets, 170 – 200g each, skin removed
100 grams butter, diced
½ fresh lemon
small bunch of curly or flat parsley, roughly chopped.

Garnish: (optional)
2 tablespoons caper berries
2 tablespoons diced tomato, skin & seeds removed

Heat 2 tablespooons olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the chopped bacon and fry for few minutes, then stir in the carrot & celeriac. Cover with a lid, reduce to a medium heat and cook for a further 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the shredded cabbage and cook for a further 3 minutes, them pour in the cream. Simmer until the cream begins to thicken and the cabbage is tender. Remove from the heat and keep warm.

Heat a large non stick fry pan & add the remaining olive oil. Pat the fish fillets dry with some absorbent kitchen paper, then season with salt & pepper. Once the pan is hot, add the fish, skin side down and fry for 2 minutes until golden brown in color underneath.

Turn the fish over onto its other side and add the butter. Squeeze over the lemon juice and once the butter begins to foam, add the chopped parsley. Spoon the butter over the fish and remove from the heat.

Place the creamed cabbage in the center of four warmed serving plates topped with the brill fillets. Spoon any remaining pan juices over the brill fillets, garnish with the caper berries, diced tomato and serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Avonmore, Glanbia Consumer Foods, 3008 Lake Drive, Citywest, Dublin 24 Ireland

1953. ROAST BRILL with LINGUINE with BACON, SMOKED SALMON and CAPERS

serves one


1 brill fillet
black pepper
1 tbsp plain flour
25 g butter
100 g linguine
3 rashers dry-cured bacon, shredded
4 tbsp double cream
1 tbsp white wine
85 g smoked salmon, shredded
half tbsp capers
1 tbsp grated parmesan
half tbsp chopped parsley
olive oil or herb oil, for drizzling
watercress salad, to serve

Preheat the oven to 190ºC/gas 5. Season the brill with salt and freshly ground pepper. Coat the brill in the flour. Heat 15g of butter in a small frying pan. Fry the brill briefly until golden on both sides. Transfer the brill onto an oiled baking sheet and dot with the remaining butter. Roast the brill until cooked through, around 5 minutes. Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the linguine and cook until al dente; drain and keep warm. Meanwhile, fry the shredded bacon in a non-stick frying pan for 2-3 minutes. Add the cream and white wine. Cook briskly, stirring often, until reduced by half. Toss the drained linguine with the cream mixture, adding the smoked salmon, capers, Parmesan and parsley and mixing well. Place the linguine mixture in a warm serving dish, top with the roast brill and drizzle with a little olive oil or herb oil. Serve at once with a watercress salad.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Paul Merrett, Good Food Live, UKTV-Food

769. BRILL with BACON, BABY POTATOES and MUSTARD LENTILS

makes 4 servings


100 grams Puy lentils
500 grams small, waxy new potatoes
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 brill fillets, around 120 grams each
1 garlic clove, chopped
50 grams bacon
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 tablespoon capers
juice of ½ lemon
1 teaspoon coarse grain Dijon mustard
25ml white wine vinegar
sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper
100 grams thick crème fraîche
small handful of chives, finely chopped

Preheat the oven to 190°C/gas 5. Place the lentils in a saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Cook for about 15 minutes, drain and refresh. Meanwhile, bring a pan of salted water to the boil. Add in the new potatoes and cook until tender, drain and keep warm. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large heavy-based frying pan. Add in and add the fish and fry briefly, browning lightly on both sides. Transfer the brill to a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes. In the same pan used for the fish add the remaining olive oil and the garlic, bacon and shallots. Fry until the shallots have softened. Add in the capers, and toss together with the lemon juice, mustard and wine vinegar. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Mix the bacon mixture with the lentils. Spoon a portion of the Puy lentils into the centre of four warm serving plates. Top each portion with a brill fillet, then scatter around the new potatoes. Mix together the crème fraîche and chives and place a spoonful of the crème fraîche mixture on top of each portion. Serve at once.


courtesy of: Frank Bordoni, Good Food Live, UKTV Food