Black tilapia, Gundel-style – by Kalman Kalla

INGREDIENTS

(serves eight)

8 black tilapia
¼ lemon
Peppercorns
1 litre water
50ml dry Hungarian white wine
400ml double cream
Salt
Sunflower oil
700g young spinach
40g butter

To garnish 24 cooked small parisienne carrots
24 cooked small parisienne courgettes

METHOD

Fillet the tilapia. Set fillets aside and make the stock by putting the head and bones into a pan with a quarter lemon and a few peppercorns. Add one litre of water. Boil, skim and simmer the stock gently for 90 minutes (much longer than in classic French cookery), letting it reduce to about 200ml, and strain.

Put the stock, wine and cream into a pan and boil to a light coating consistency. Season with salt only and keep hot.

Heat the oil in a frying pan, salt the fish fillets and fry, skin side down, until coloured. Turn and finish frying - about four minutes in all.

Boil the spinach in very little water; drain, salt and add the butter. Put spinach on to the plate, surround with sauce and put the fish on top. Garnish with courgettes and carrots.

If you have veal glaze in the kitchen, you can spoon a few drops on to the fish sauce just before serving.

Kalman Kalla