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Sea Bass, Ox Morcilla, Samphire and Sherry Pickled Mussels

4 people
Moderate

Prep time
20 mins

Cook time
40 mins

Total time
60 mins

Javier De La Hormaza

Recipe provided by

Javier De La Hormaza

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Ingredients

800g wild sea bass fillets, pin-boned and skin scored
200g ox morcilla
100g fresh samphire
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt
For the sherry pickled mussels:
400g fresh mussels, cleaned and beards removed
200ml txakoli white wine
300ml sherry vinegar
3 tbsp caster sugar
1 tbsp sea salt
6 black peppercorns
6 coriander seeds
1 star anise
1 bay leaf
For the mussel beurre blanc:
100ml mussel cooking juices
50ml pickling liquid
200g unsalted butter, cut into cubes and chilled
Squeeze of lemon juice
1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
Salt to taste

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Introduction

A proper surf and turf of earthy ox morcilla and pan fried sea bass served with sherry pickled mussels, samphire and a beurre blanc made from the mussel cooking juices.

Method

Heat a large saucepan on a medium heat, add the mussels and white wine, cover and cook for 2-3 minutes until the mussels are fully open. Drain the mussels, keeping the cooking juices.
Pour the vinegar into a pan, add the sugar, sea salt, the spices and bay leaf, and bring to a simmer. After 1 min, check that the sugar and salt have dissolved. Remove from the heat. Pick the mussels out of the shells and add them to the pickling liquid, cover with cling film and allow the mussels to pickle for 10 minutes.
Blanch the samphire in boiling water for 2 minutes, drain and cool down in cold running water. Pat dry and set aside.
For the beurre blanc, re-heat 100ml of the mussel cooking juices with 50ml of the pickling liquid in a small saucepan and reduce until you have 2 tablespoons of liquid left. Take the reduction off the heat and start to add the chilled cubes of butter, a little at a time, whilst you whisk vigorously until fully combined. Check for seasoning, add some lemon juice, samphire, pickled mussels and chopped tarragon.
Place the ox morcilla in a small saucepan and heat until hot but not boiling, set aside.
Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan, place the sea bass fillets skin side down, season with salt and make sure you press the flesh down, so it stops the fish from curling. Fry for 3 minutes skin side down, turn and cook for a further one minute on the flesh before taking out.
To plate, spoon some ox morcilla in the centre of each plate, place one piece of sea bass on top and spoon the samphire and pickled mussel beurre blanc.