Steamed haddock with blood orange and basil hollandaise

by Paul Welburn
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4
45 minutes

Ingredients

Haddock

  • 600g of haddock, cut from the loin in a single thick piece
  • 50g of coarse sea salt
  • 10g of sugar
  • 1 lemon, zested
  • basil stalks

Garnish in the bag

  • 50ml of rapeseed oil
  • 1/2 onion, finely sliced
  • 1 small carrot, peeled, halved lengthways and finely sliced
  • 1/2 fennel, finely sliced
  • 2 blood oranges, segmented
  • 25ml of dry white wine
  • 25ml of blood orange juice
  • salt
  • pepper

Blood orange and basil hollandaise

  • 2 egg yolks
  • 100ml of blood orange juice, reduced to 25ml
  • 7ml of white wine vinegar
  • 200ml of clarified butter, melted
  • salt
  • 5 basil leaves, chiffonaded

To serve

  • 1/2 fennel, finely shaved, dressed in a drizzle of rapeseed oil and sprinkle of salt

Method

1
Begin by curing the haddock. Blend the salt, sugar, lemon zest and basil stalks to create a bright green cure. Coat the fish evenly with the cure and leave for 20 minutes. Wash the cure off with cold water, pat dry and cut into 4 equal 150g portions
  • 600g of haddock, nice thick pieces cut from the loin
  • 50g of coarse sea salt
  • 10g of sugar
  • 1 lemon, zested
  • basil stalks
2
Whilst waiting for the fish to cure, prepare the garnish. Sweat the finely sliced fennel, onion and carrot in the rapeseed oil until soft but not coloured. Season with salt and pepper and leave to cool
  • 50ml of rapeseed oil
  • 1/2 onion, finely sliced
  • 1 small carrot, peeled, halved lengthways and finely sliced
  • salt
  • pepper
  • 1/2 fennel, finely sliced
3
Cut out 4 separate 30cm circles of parchment paper. Spoon some of the cooled vegetable mixture onto half of each paper, and divide the blood orange segments between the four circles (there should be 4–5 segments for each). Top with the haddock portions then fold the paper over to create semi-circles
  • 2 blood oranges, segmented
4
Crimp the edges tightly and staple round the edges until only a small opening is left. Carefully pour in a splash of the white wine and blood orange juice, then seal the parcels completely. It is important that there are no gaps or holes so the steam doesn't escape and the fish cooks evenly. Preheat an oven to 190°C/gas mark 5
  • 25ml of dry white wine
  • 25ml of blood orange juice
5
While the oven is heating up, make the hollandaise. Place the egg yolks, reduced orange juice and white wine vinegar into a large glass bowl and sit this on top of a pan of gently simmering water, ensuring the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl. Whisk until the mixture creates thick ribbons, which will take about 5 minutes
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 100ml of blood orange juice, reduced to 25ml
  • 7ml of white wine vinegar
6
Remove from the heat and slowly drizzle in the butter, whisking all the time to emulsify. If the mixture begins to split, add in a splash of cold water to bring it back together. You want the sauce to become a thick pouring consistency, so add a little more water to loosen if needed. Taste and season with salt, then fold in the basil. Keep warm whilst you cook the fish
  • 200ml of clarified butter, melted
  • 5 basil leaves, chiffonade
  • salt
7
Place the fish in the oven for 7 minutes. Due to the cure, the fish may still look a little translucent, but will be perfectly cooked after this time. Divide the parcels onto plates, tear open the paper and dress with a little bundle of the finely shaved fennel. Spoon over the warm hollandaise and serve immediately
  • 1/2 fennel, finely shaved, dressed in a drizzle of rapeseed oil and sprinkle of salt