Carp With Vanilla -

Carp With Vanilla

Vanilla sauces are terribly fashionable in London at the moment. In Madagascar they have been making them for ever.

Ingredients

Approx. 900g (2 lb) carp (or perch, trout or bass)
Salt
50g (2oz) butter
1 tablespoon green peppercorns
75 ml (3fl oz) mandarin or orange eau-de-vie, or orange liqueur
250 ml (9fl oz) fish stock
200 ml (7fl oz) double cream
1 vanilla pod, split lengthways

For the Garnish

½ a lime or lemon
Sprig of parsley

Details

Serves: 4

Method

1.De-scale, clean and fillet the fish. (Ask your fishmonger to do this for you if you prefer.) Season with salt.

2.Heat a frying pan and put in half the butter. When it is hot add the fish, flesh side down, and fry for about a minute, until slightly coloured. Turn and cook for a further minute or so. Add the peppercorns and cook for a moment to bring out the flavour, then add the eau-de-vie and flambé. When the flames have died down remove the fillets and keep warm.

3.Add the fish stock to the pan and reduce until you have a syrup. Add the cream, and scrape the seeds from the vanilla pod into the sauce. Cook for about a minute. Cut the remaining butter into small pieces and whisk into the sauce.

4.Pour the sauce over the fish and garnish with the lime or lemon and parsley.

Related food category:

• Fish and Seafood