Creamed oyster broth with scallops and sole by Phil Vickery

Phil Vickery's Colchester starter of creamed oyster broth with scallops and sole

Ingredients

1 sole
1 gurnard
100 g3½ oz butter
125 ml4½ fl oz dry white wine
350 ml12¼ fl oz water
2 peppercorns
1 bouquet garni (a sprig of thyme, 2-3 parsley stalks, ½ bay leaf and a small piece of celery)
6 oysters
150 ml5¼ fl oz cream
4 scallops
1 bunch of basil

Method: How to make Creamed oyster broth with scallops and sole

Fillet the sole and gurnard and remove the skin from each of the fillets. Wash the fish bones to remove any blood. Clean out the fish heads, removing the eyes and gills.

Then make the fish reduction that will form the base of the broth. Melt a little butter in a heavy based saucepan. Add in the fish bones and heads and crush them down with a wooden spoon. Cook for 5-10 minutes, allowing the flavours to develop from the bones. Add in the white wine and allow this to reduce down until nearly all the wine has evaporated.

Pour in the water and add in the bouquet garni and peppercorns. Bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes, skimming often.

Strain the stock into a clean pan.

Open the oysters, drain off the juice and stir it into the fish broth. Stir in the cream and season well.

Slice the scallops in half horizontally and cut the fillets of fish into bite size pieces.

Melt a good knob of butter in a large frying pan. When it is foaming, add the fish and gently poach the fish in the butter for a minute or two, until very lightly cooked. Place a selection of the scallops, sole and gurnard in the bottom of each bowl and scatter over a tablespoon of shredded basil.