Equipment
Ingredients
Fish and Pastry
- 600 g sea bass fillets, skinned and pin-boned, cut into two equal 300g pieces
- 500 g puff pastry, cold, all-butter
- 1 egg, beaten
Scallop and Herb Mousse
- 150 g sea scallops, side muscle removed
- 1 egg white, cold
- 50 ml heavy cream, cold
- 10 g fresh dill, finely chopped
- 3 g salt, fine
- 1 g white pepper, ground
Pernod Beurre Blanc
- 100 ml dry white wine
- 30 ml white wine vinegar
- 1 shallot, finely minced
- 30 ml pernod, anise liqueur
- 15 ml heavy cream
- 150 g unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
- salt, fine
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Place the scallops, salt, and white pepper in a food processor. Puree until smooth, then pulse in the cold egg white. With the motor running, slowly pour in the cold heavy cream until a smooth, sticky paste forms. Fold in the finely chopped dill by hand. Cover and refrigerate the mousse immediately.
Thoroughly pat the sea bass fillets dry using paper towels. Moisture is the enemy of crispy puff pastry. Season both sides of the fillets lightly with salt and white pepper.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the cold puff pastry out to a rectangle roughly 5 millimeters thick. Place one seasoned sea bass fillet in the center of the pastry. Spread the chilled scallop mousse evenly over the top of this fillet, then place the second sea bass fillet exactly on top, pressing down gently to create a cohesive sandwich.
Brush the exposed pastry around the fish with the beaten egg. Carefully fold the pastry over the fish, pressing the edges firmly together to seal out any air gaps, and trim away excess dough. Score the top of the pastry lightly with the back of a knife to create a fish scale or crosshatch pattern, ensuring you do not cut all the way through the dough. Brush the entire parcel evenly with the remaining egg wash.
Carefully transfer the pastry-wrapped fish to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate uncovered for at least 30 minutes. This rests the gluten and resolidifies the butter in the pastry, which is essential for maximum rise and flakiness.
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F. Bake the chilled pastry parcel for 30 to 35 minutes until the crust is deeply golden brown. Ensure the thickest part of the fish registers an internal temperature of 60°C/140°F.
While the fish is baking, prepare the sauce base. In a small saucepan, combine the white wine, white wine vinegar, minced shallot, and Pernod. Simmer over medium heat until the liquid reduces down to about 2 tablespoons and achieves a syrupy consistency.
Stir the heavy cream into the warm reduction and drop the heat to the lowest possible setting. Vigorously whisk in the cold, cubed butter one or two pieces at a time. Wait until each addition is fully emulsified and creamy before adding the next. Once all the butter is incorporated, immediately remove from the heat, strain through a fine mesh strainer to discard the shallots, and season to taste with salt.
Remove the baked en croute from the oven and let it rest on a cutting board for 5 minutes. Use a sharp serrated knife to carve thick cross-sections. Serve immediately with generous pools of the warm Pernod beurre blanc sauce.
Chef's Notes
- The scallop mousse plays a dual role in this classic preparation. Beyond adding luxurious flavor, it acts as a moisture barrier and protein binder that protects the delicate puff pastry from becoming soggy as the sea bass releases juices during baking.
- Scoring the puff pastry with the dull back of a knife, rather than the sharp blade, ensures you only dent the surface. Cutting through the dough would let internal steam escape too rapidly, drying out the fish.
- Adding a splash of heavy cream to the acidic beurre blanc reduction before whisking in the butter is a reliable restaurant trick. The fat and stabilizers in the cream coat the liquid molecules and make the final emulsion much harder to break.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 day — The puff pastry will lose its crispness overnight. Best consumed immediately.
