A scrumptious Mediterranean dish made by Le Bistrot du Sommelier, a restaurant that is dedicated to the harmony of food and wine, Bass and red mullet filets with potato croustillants and fresh tomato sauce is perfect for summer dinner parties and informal lunch get-togethers. It is a light and refreshing main dish with crunchy textures and just the right amount of tanginess for a pleasant contrast to the subtle flavors of the two kinds of fish. Think of it as a French gourmet version of the all-time English favorite fish and chips. To complement this dish, restaurant owner and award-winning sommelier Philippe Faure-Brac suggests pairing it with a light and aromatic white wine like Domaine Leccia Patrimonio. With its refreshing acidity and lemon-tinged flavor, the wine is almost like a missing ingredient to this gastronomic fish recipe.

From the French word “croûte,” which means, “crust,” croustillant is the French term for crispy or crunchy. To get the perfect crunch, the potatoes are shredded into thin strips with the help of a vegetable shredder and shaped into round flat discs using a round mold. It is then brushed with generous amounts of butter, seasoned with salt and pepper, and baked in the oven for about five minutes. When cooked, the potatoes will take on a golden brown color and will be wonderfully crisp in the mouth. It is the perfect accompaniment to the fish filets, which will also be a bit crunchy on the outer sides.

It is important to fry the fish filets in a very hot pan to get the crispiness desired, but they should be cooked quickly so as not to overcook them. Special attention must be paid to the red mullet, which cannot endure the slightest overcooking. Red mullet also has to be super fresh and cooked the same day it is bought. Get your diet soup recipes here.

Ingredients

2 red mullet fillets (0.66 lbs. each)
2 bass fillets (0.66 to 0.88 lbs. each)
4 large potatoes (Charlotte)
3 1/2 tablespoons butter for the croustillants)
4 tomatoes
5 ½ tablespoons butter (for the tomato emulsion)
salt
pepper
salt flour
4 small pieces of chervil

To make potato croustillants, grate the potato very finely using a shredder. Place in the bottom of a round mold to shape potato into flat round discs onto a baking sheet. Remove mold and brush potato shreds with melted butter and season with salt. Place baking sheet in the oven for about five minutes to make potato crisps.

To make tomato sauce, slice tomatoes into wedges and blend them until liquefied. Pass liquid through a sieve to remove seeds and pulp. Put tomato juice in the saucepan, add butter, mix with a whisk until the sauce becomes frothy. Season as desired.

Cook fish filets in the frying pan starting with the skin side. Cook both sides until brown.

Place filet of sea bass and filet of mullet on a plate, topped with a potato croustillant. Place another layer of sea bass and red mullet filet, and then topped with another layer of potato crisp. Put fresh tomato sauce around the dish and season with salt and pepper. Decorate the dish with a sprig of dill.