Saltimbocca of Red Mullet

• 4 red mullet, each weighing about 225-228g / 8 - 10oz
• 15 g / 4 oz chilled unsalted butter
• 8 large slices of parma ham
• 1 lemon
• 4 tbsp flour
• 8 large sage leaves
• sunflower oil for frying

Instructions

1. 1

   Mise en Place

2. 2

   Well ahead: clean and scale the mullet and fillet. Wash the trimmings and freeze for fish soup. Using strong tweezers or small pliers, remove the small line of pin bones down each fillet and any rib bones

3. 3

   Cut the butter into 2 halves, straight from the fridge, and set aside one piece. From the other piece, cut four 15g / 1/2oz pieces which are as thin as possible

4. 4

   Assemble the saltimbocca: lay one sheet of parma ham on your work surface. Put one of the thin slices of butter in the centre and lay the first fillet on top of the butter, flesh side down. Carefully wrap the ham to form an envelope round the fillet. Repeat with the remaining fillets and refrigerate until ready to cook. They benefit from a couple of hours in the fridge to allow the flavours to commingle

5. 5

   Juice the lemon

6. 6

   Season the flour

7. 7

   Heat the pans over a medium heat (you do not want it to be too hot) and pour a thin coating of oil in to the pans

8. 8

   Press a sage leaf on each mullet package and dredge it in seasoned flour. Put the packages with the butter side down into the pan. Cook gently until the ham is crisp underneath (which takes about 3 minutes). Do not be tempted to push them around.

9. 9

   With a palette knife or fish slice, carefully turn the parcels and fry the other side for a further 2 minutes. Transfer to a warmed serving plate. If you are cooking in 2 batches, the first batch can be held in a very low oven while you cook the second batch.

10. 10

    Pour out the juices from the pan, but do not wash it. Melt the reserved block of butter in the pan over a medium heat. When it begins to colour slightly, pour in the lemon juice, add a little salt and pepper (but more pepper than salt because of the saltiness of the ham) and stir.

11. 11

    Pour the foaming mixture over the saltimbocca and serve at once. This a basic meuniere technique used in restaurant kitchens and is delicious hot, but goes greasy on cooling