How to make butter-poached brill and asparagus with watercress sauce

Simple, sophisticated and lip-smackingly delicious, it’s the little extras that take this dish to the next level, says Simon Rogan.

“The firm white flesh of brill has a sweet taste, which marries perfectly with buttery, creamy sauces. Here, it’s spiked with peppery watercress, a strong-tasting salad leaf that can hold its own against the intense flavour of the griddled asparagus. It’s a really simple dish, lifted by the browned butter.”

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Nutrition Facts

Butter-poached brill and asparagus with watercress sauce

Amount Per Serving

Calories 1448 Calories from Fat 1539

% Daily Value*

Fat 171g263%

Saturated Fat 85g531%

Cholesterol 599mg200%

Sodium 430mg19%

Potassium 983mg28%

Carbohydrates 5g2%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 79g158%

Vitamin A 5704IU114%

Vitamin C 23mg28%

Calcium 188mg19%

Iron 6mg33%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Butter-poached brill and asparagus with watercress sauce

A light and lovely fish dish

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time50 minutes mins

To make the stock2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Total Time3 hours hrs 40 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: British

Servings: 4

Calories: 1448kcal

Author: Simon Rogan

Equipment

• Large, heavy-based saucepan
• Muslin-lined sieve
• Blender
• Griddle pan

Ingredients

For the butter-poached brill

• 500 g unsalted butter
• 4 portions of brill about 80g

For the griddled asparagus

• 20 spears of green asparagus
• rapeseed oil
• pinch of salt

For the watercress cream sauce

• 50 ml double cream
• 100 ml White Chicken Stock (see below)
• 150 g watercress with stalks
• pinch of salt

For the white chicken stock

• 3 kg chicken wings
• 5 l water

To serve

• baby watercress
• cornflowers

Method

• To make the stock, roughly chop the chicken wings and put them in a large, heavy-based saucepan with five litres of water. Bring to the boil over a medium heat, then reduce the heat and simmer for two to three hours, skimming occasionally. Remove from the heat and leave to cool, then strain through a muslin-lined sieve. Keep the stock covered in the fridge and use within three to four days, or freeze and use within three months.
• Place a large, heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat. Add the butter and cook until it foams. Once foaming, reduce the heat and let the butter cook for another 10–15 minutes, until it reaches a very dark brown colour and has a nutty aroma. It will be extremely hot. Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool. When cool, strain through a muslin-lined sieve and discard the milk solids. Leave to one side.
• To make the sauce, put the cream and stock in a small, heavy-based saucepan over a low heat and reduce by half. Transfer to a blender with the watercress and blend until smooth. Pass through a fine sieve and season.
• Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Peel each asparagus spear and snap off the woody part of the stem. Blanch for two minutes, or until tender, then remove and refresh in a bowl of iced water. Drain and leave to dry on kitchen paper. When dry, coat each spear with a drizzle of rapeseed oil and scatter a generous pinch of salt over all of them. Heat a griddle pan over a high heat, add the asparagus spears and grill for two to three minutes, or until slightly charred.
• In a medium, heavy-based saucepan over a low heat, bring the browned butter to a temperature of 55°C. Remove from the heat, add the fish and leave to cook gently in the residual heat of the butter for 15–20 minutes. Remove the fish from the butter and drain on kitchen paper.
• Divide the asparagus among plates. Spoon the watercress sauce on to each plate and place the cooked fish on top. Finish with baby watercress and cornflowers, if you like.

Nutrition

Calories: 1448kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 79g | Fat: 171g | Saturated Fat: 85g | Cholesterol: 599mg | Sodium: 430mg | Potassium: 983mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 5704IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 188mg | Iron: 6mg

Rogan: The Cookbook by Simon Rogan is published by HarperCollins.

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