Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 90 minutes
Difficulty: Moderate
 

Red scorpion fish cooked in three ways with aromatic concassé, snocciolate olives and basil, potato slowly-cooked in fish soup and saffron threads, with a glazed fennel slice.

Scorpion fish

1. Remove and bone the fillets, then remove the cheeks and jowls with the fin.
2. Slowly cook the jowls at 80° C (160° F) in a little fish stock and olive oil for about 90 minutes. Reserve the fillets and cheeks.
3. Sear the seasoned fillets, skin side down, then place them in a dish with a little sauce and place in the oven.
4. Add the slow-cooked jowls, then sear the cheeks quickly in a skillet.

Fish stock

1. Cut up all the garnish. Combine the ingredients in a large pot.
2. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes; let rest, covered, for 20 minutes; strain.

Aromatic concassé sauce

1. Wash and peel the potato. Cut into discs 3 cm (1 1/4") in diameter and 2 cm (3/4") thick.
2. Heat a little well-seasoned fish soup in a pan; add the potato discs. They should just be covered by liquid. Cook gently on the edge of the flame until tender.

Confit fennel slice

1. Cut the fennel into 3 cm (1 1/4") thick slices.
2. In a skillet, pour 20 ml (4 tsp.) olive oil, add the fennel slices and color lightly, deglaze with pastis and add white stock just to cover.
3. Bring to a boil, then cook gently until the fennel is tender (adding more white stock during cooking if necessary).

Presentation

1. Place the aromatic concassé sauce on the fish fillet, then arrange the other elements on the plate.

La Badiane, Cuvée Deux Sœurs, Jean-Luc Poinsot, AOC Cassis Blanc 2007.

This wine is essentially made from Clairette and Bourboulenc grapes and aged in casks. Its has a very complex aromatic palette, with notes of hawthorn and acacia and is delicious and unctuous in the mouth. It pairs beautifully with the Mediterranean flavors of this dish.