John dory with a shellfish, asparagus, lettuce and pea fricassee

For the shellfish:

• Vermouth or white wine 200ml
• Mussels 150g
• Cockles 150g

For the fricassee:

• Asparagus 4 spears
• Unsalted butter 40g
• Shallots 2, peeled and diced
• Celery stick 1, diced
• Fresh peas 40g
• Double cream 100g
• Baby gem lettuce ½, finely shredded
• Plum tomatoes 2, blanched and diced
• Lemon ½, juice of

For the john dory:

• Corn or sunflower oil 2 tbsp
• Unsalted butter 50g
• John dory 2 fillets, skin removed
• Lemon juice
• Salt
• Chervil or flat-leaf parsley a few sprigs

1. For the shellfish: place the vermouth or wine in a medium saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the mussels, cover with a lid and steam for 2 minutes. Add the cockles and steam for a further 2 minutes.
2. Once the shells have opened, take the pan off the heat and remove the shellfish from the cooking liquor. Allow to cool then pick the meat from the shells.
3. Pass the cooking liquor through a muslin cloth or fine sieve onto the shellfish meat. Cover and refrigerate until required.
4. For the fricassee: snap the asparagus at its natural break point, plunge into boiling salted water and cook very quickly until it’s al dente. Refresh immediately in cold water. Cut into slices from the bottom of the spear at an angle, leaving the tips whole.
5. Place half the butter in a medium saucepan over a low heat. Once the butter has melted add the shallots and celery and sweat until tender.
6. Add the liquor from the shellfish (reserving the meat) and bring to the boil. Add the fresh peas and double cream and bring to a simmer for a couple of minutes until the peas are al dente.
7. Add the lettuce, asparagus, tomatoes and a generous squeeze of lemon juice. Simmer gently for 1 minute until the lettuce is wilted but not overcooked. Stir in the remaining butter and shake the pan until the sauce has emulsified. Add the cooked mussels and cockles and simmer gently for 1 minute.
8. For the john dory: heat a non-stick frying pan until hot. Add the oil and heat. Add the butter and heat until it starts to foam.
9. Season the presentation side of the fish with a little salt and place that side down in the pan. Turn the heat down and cook the fish approximately 75 per cent of the way through.
10. Turn the fish over and baste with the foaming butter and season with a little salt. Continue to cook until the fish is 90 per cent cooked. Turn off the heat and drain the fillets onto kitchen roll. Add a squeeze of lemon juice.
11. Season the fricassee with salt and pepper then serve in shallow bowls. Top with the fish and garnish with a few sprigs of chervil or flat-leaf parsley.