Red Mullet and Squid with Oven-dried Tomatoes, Wild Fennel and Pickled Mushrooms

Ingredients

Contains: milk, fish (auto-detected from the ingredients and method; we can miss things, so check labels)

• 4 ripe but firm plum tomatoes
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ½ tsp caster sugar
• few sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 garlic
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 400g/14oz shimeji mushrooms
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 shallot
• 1 garlic
• 2 tbsp wild fennel
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 250g/9oz unsalted butter
• 1 garlic
• handful wild fennel
• 2 medium whole squid
• 1 tbsp light olive oil
• 2 x 700-800g/1lb 8oz - 12lb 12oz whole red mullet
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 red onion
• 1 garlic
• 50ml/2fl oz red wine vinegar
• 110ml/4fl oz red wine
• pinch sugar

Also mentioned in the method: fish

Directions

Method written by CompKitchen from the ingredient list. Not the original author's method, not kitchen-tested.

1. Heat the oven to 120°C (250°F). Halve the plum tomatoes lengthwise and lay them cut side up on a tray. Season with salt, pepper and the caster sugar, add the thyme sprigs and one thinly sliced garlic, drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil and dry in the oven for about 2 hours until shrivelled but still moist.

2. For the pickled mushrooms, heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the shimeji mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and fry until golden, about 5 minutes.

3. Add the finely chopped shallot, one minced garlic and 2 tbsp wild fennel to the mushrooms and cook 2 minutes. Add the sliced red onion, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, 50ml red wine vinegar, 110ml red wine and the pinch of sugar. Simmer 3 minutes, then cool in the liquid.

4. Gently melt the 250g butter in a small pan over low heat with one crushed garlic and the handful of wild fennel. Simmer 5 minutes without browning, then keep warm for basting.

5. Clean the squid, separate the bodies from the tentacles and cut the bodies open into flat sheets. Score the inside lightly, season with salt and pepper, and toss the tentacles and bodies with the 1 tbsp light olive oil.

6. Heat a dry heavy frying pan until very hot. Sear the squid for 1 to 2 minutes until just opaque and curled, then remove immediately to avoid toughness.

7. Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Season the red mullet inside and out with salt and pepper, place on an oiled tray and roast for 10 to 12 minutes, basting with the warm butter, until the flesh flakes and reaches 145°F (63°C) at the thickest part.

8. Rest the fish for 2 minutes. Spoon the oven-dried tomatoes, drained pickled mushrooms and squid onto warm plates, set a red mullet alongside, and spoon over the remaining herb butter before serving.