Lemon-scented sole fillets with chorizo and basil-flavoured mash

Categories: February

Ingredients

• 2 large beef tomatoes
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 2 large garlic cloves
• 25g bunch fresh basil, stalks chopped and leaves reserved
• 1 large potato, about 350g
• knob of butter
• dash of milk
• 100g French beans, trimmed
• 3 lemon grass sticks, lightly crushed
• 1 lemon sole, filleted, skinned and cut into strips
• 50g chorizo, very finely sliced
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• sun-dried tomato dressing (from Sainsbury's)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 140˚C/fan 120˚C/gas 1.

2. Score the tomatoes, top and bottom, plunge into boiling water for 10 seconds, then drain and refresh in cold water. Peel the tomatoes, slice off and discard the tops, then carefully scoop out and discard the pulp and seeds. Place on a baking tray, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the oil, scatter with half the thyme and half the garlic, finely chopped, the basil stalks and a little salt. Bake in the oven for 2 hours to dry out. Transfer to an ovenproof dish.

3. Meanwhile, blanch the basil leaves in boiling water for 30 seconds. Drain, refresh in cold water, pat dry then finely chop with a knife. Set aside.

4. Cut the potato into large chunks and cook in a saucepan of boiling water until tender. Drain, then mash with the butter and milk. Mix in the chopped basil, season and cool. Spoon the basil-flavoured mash into the tomatoes in the ovenproof dish, cover and keep warm in the oven.

5. Blanch the beans in a saucepan of boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and refresh in cold water. Set the beans aside. Keep the saucepan of water at a low simmer.

6. Heat the remaining oil in a large, non-stick frying pan. Add the remaining thyme and garlic, finely chopped, and fry for 1 minute. Add the lemon grass and fish and cook for 4 minutes, turning the fish just once during cooking and basting the fish with oil in the pan. Add the chorizo and cook for a further minute, then sprinkle with the lemon juice. Remove from the heat and keep warm. Discard the lemon grass.

7. Bring the pan of simmering water back to the boil, then add the beans and reheat for 1 minute. Drain. Scatter each plate with the beans and put a stuffed tomato on top of them. Top with the fish and chorizo, and drizzle with the sun-dried tomato dressing. Serve with a salad.

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