Brill with glazed shallots, mushroom sauce and garlic kale

Seriously comforting fish supper with restaurant polish. Sweet, sticky shallots and ham sit alongside tender brill fillets in a glossy red wine mushroom sauce, while garlicky kale adds freshness and bite on the side.

Brill is a flatfish with firm, white flesh and a delicate, sweet flavour—similar to turbot but slightly lighter—making it prized for its clean taste and elegant texture.

Prep: less than 30 mins

Cook: over 2 hours

Serves: Serves 4

Dietary: Egg-free, nut-free

By Jack Stein
From Saturday Kitchen Recipes

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This brill with glazed shallots, mushroom sauce and garlic kale is a rich, full-flavoured fish dish built on buttery sauces and a homemade chicken stock base. The brill itself is lean and high in protein, and the kale brings fibre and vitamins, but there is a generous amount of butter, ham and olive oil that increases saturated fat and overall calories. Enjoy it as a special-occasion main course and balance the rest of the day with lighter, vegetable-focused meals.

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Equipment

• Large saucepan
• Muslin cloth and sieve
• Shallow lidded frying pan
• Frying pan
• Medium saucepan
• Wok
• Microwave-safe bowl
• Measuring jug
• Sharp knife 🛒 Check out Amazon’s Choice
• Chopping board
• Wooden spoon
• Whisk
• Tongs

Method

1. Start the chicken stock so it can simmer away gently in the background. Put the chicken bones or wings, carrot, celery, leeks, bay leaves and thyme into a large saucepan, cover with 2.3 litres/4 pints cold water and slowly bring it just up to the boil, skimming off any scum that rises to the surface.
2. Simmer the stock softly to keep it clear and full of flavour. Turn the heat right down so the liquid barely trembles and leave it to cook very gently for about 2 hours. Avoid a rolling boil here; that can push fat into the liquid and leave the stock cloudy instead of clean and golden.
3. Strain and reserve the stock ready for the brill. Line a sieve with muslin over a clean bowl and pour the stock through, discarding the bones and vegetables. Measure out 900ml/1½ pints for the brill and mushroom sauce, then cool and chill or freeze any remaining stock for another recipe.
4. Soak the porcini mushrooms so they are plump and ready to use. Put the dried porcini in a heatproof jug, pour over 150ml/5fl oz warm water and leave them to soak for about 30 minutes until softened. When they are done, lift them out and keep the soaking liquor for the sauce.
5. Glaze the shallots with ham and garlic to make a sticky, savoury garnish. Melt 25g/1oz butter in a shallow lidded frying pan wide enough to hold all the brill fillets later. Add the chopped shallots, sugar and finely chopped garlic and cook over a gentle heat until they are lightly browned and starting to soften.
6. Add stock and ham to the shallots and turn everything into a rich glaze. Pour in enough chicken stock to barely cover the shallots and garlic, then add the diced ham along with about ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Simmer gently until the shallots and garlic are tender all the way through.
7. Reduce to a sticky coating so the shallots shine. Turn up the heat and boil the liquid rapidly, shaking the pan now and again, until the stock has reduced to a thick, sticky glaze that clings to the shallots, garlic and ham. Transfer this mixture to a warm plate and set aside, leaving the pan unwashed for the fish later.
8. Build the mushroom sauce base with vegetables and wine. In a separate saucepan, melt another 25g/1oz butter, then add the chopped carrot, leek, celery and onion. Fry them over a medium heat until they are nicely coloured and aromatic, which gives the mushroom sauce a deeper flavour.
9. Add stock, vinegar, thyme and wine to finish the sauce stock. Pour in the remaining chicken stock, balsamic vinegar, one thyme sprig, red wine and the reserved porcini soaking liquor. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 20–30 minutes so the flavours come together and reduce slightly.
10. Strain the sauce base to get a smooth liquid for the brill. Pass the contents of the pan through a fine sieve into a clean jug or bowl, pressing the vegetables lightly to extract the juices, then discard the solids. This strained liquid will become the mushroom sauce the brill cooks in.
11. Pan-sear the brill fillets to start them off. Heat a small knob of butter in a large frying pan until it foams, then lay in the brill fillets, skin-side (former skin side) down. Cook for about 1 minute until lightly browned on that side, then season with salt and pepper.
12. Transfer the brill to the glazing pan so it can finish in the sauce. Move the browned brill fillets into the shallow pan you used for the glazed shallots, arranging them side by side. Pour the strained red wine and stock mixture over the fish and add the remaining thyme sprig.
13. Gently poach the brill until just cooked through. Cover the pan with its lid and let the fish simmer softly for about 5 minutes, or until the brill flakes easily when pressed but still feels moist. Lift the fillets out carefully and keep them warm while you finish the mushroom sauce.
14. Sauté the porcini and wild mushrooms for a burst of umami. In a clean frying pan, melt about 15g/½oz butter over a fairly high heat, add the soaked porcini and sliced wild mushrooms and fry briskly for 2–3 minutes until golden at the edges. Season with a little salt and pepper.
15. Reduce and enrich the mushroom sauce for serving. Bring the cooking liquid left in the brill pan up to the boil and let it bubble until it has reduced to a more concentrated sauce. Whisk in the remaining butter a little at a time so it emulsifies and turns glossy, then stir in the sautéed mushrooms.
16. Make the confit shallot and garlic so it is ready for the kale. Put the sliced shallot and extra virgin olive oil into a microwave-safe bowl, making sure the oil fully covers the shallot slices. Microwave on full power for 30 seconds, pause, then microwave for another 30 seconds and leave the bowl to rest for 2 minutes so the shallot softens and perfumes the oil.
17. Wilt the garlic kale quickly so it keeps some texture. Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a wok over a high heat, then add some of the confit shallot and its infused oil until it starts to sizzle. Tip in the chopped kale and stir-fry until wilted and glossy but still bright green, then season with salt and pepper.
18. Plate the brill with glazed shallots, mushroom sauce and garlic kale so every element shines. Place a brill fillet on each warmed plate, spoon the glazed shallot, garlic and ham mixture around it and ladle over some of the mushroom sauce with plenty of mushrooms. Add a generous spoonful of garlic kale on the side and serve straight away while everything is hot and fragrant.