Red Mullet Provençal Style

Red mullet lends itself perfectly to a simple preparation with tomato, olive oil, white wine and Provençal herbs. In this dish the fillets are briefly fried and served with a fragrant tomato-and-herb sauce and a wedge of lemon.

Serves: 4
Preparation: approx. 20 minutes
Cooking: approx. 20 minutes
Total time: approx. 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 8 fresh red mullet fillets (preferably skin-on)
• 200 g cherry tomatoes
• 150 ml dry white wine
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 shallot
• 1 lemon
• 2–3 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
• 1 small sprig tarragon (optional)
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra if needed
• 3 tablespoons plain flour, for dusting
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

Preparation

• Check the red mullet fillets for any pin bones and scales and remove them. Pat the fillets dry with kitchen paper.
• Sprinkle the flour over a large dish and season with a pinch of salt and some freshly ground pepper. Mix well.
• Peel the shallot and finely chop it.
• Peel the garlic cloves and finely chop them.
• Wash the cherry tomatoes and cut them in half.
• Wash the parsley and any tarragon, shake dry and finely chop the leaves.
• Strip the leaves from the thyme and rosemary sprigs, or leave the sprigs whole so you can remove them later.
• Cut the lemon into wedges for serving.

Cooking

1. Lightly coat the red mullet fillets in the flour so they are thinly covered on both sides. Gently shake off any excess.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat.
3. Place the fillets skin-side down in the pan. Fry for 2–3 minutes, until the skin is golden brown and lightly crisp. Turn the fillets and fry the other side for 1–2 minutes more, until the fish is just cooked.
4. Remove the fillets from the pan and place them on a warm platter. Cover loosely with a sheet of aluminium foil or a plate to keep them warm.
5. If needed, add a small extra splash of olive oil to the same pan.
6. Gently sweat the finely chopped shallot and garlic over a low heat until translucent, without colouring.
7. Add the halved cherry tomatoes, the thyme and the rosemary. Cook for a few minutes, until the tomatoes begin to soften and release some juice.
8. Deglaze with the white wine. Bring to the boil and use a wooden spoon to scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the sauce simmer gently for a few minutes, until it has reduced slightly and thickened a little.
9. Just before the end, stir the chopped parsley and, if using, a little tarragon through the sauce. Taste and season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
10. Return the red mullet fillets to the pan in the sauce, or arrange them on a platter and spoon the Provençal tomato sauce over them.
11. Serve the red mullet on warm plates with the tomato-and-herb sauce and offer lemon wedges, so everyone can squeeze a little lemon juice over the fish to taste.