Brill with pea and ham sauce | Lawrence Murphy

If you have ever eaten a fresh pea straight from its pod you will know how sweet and delicious they are.
Brill with pea and ham sauceBrill with pea and ham sauce
Brill with pea and ham sauce

There is also something quite comforting about shelling a bowl of peas knowing how fresh they are going to be.

Some people say that once you’ve tasted a fresh pea you’ll never go back to frozen.

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This is where really fresh produce comes into its own as a pea that’s only a few days old will lose its sweetness and can even become bitter.

In that sense, a frozen pea can be better than an old pea.

If you use frozen peas allow them to defrost before cooking, don’t boil them, and add salt once they are cooked and you’ll find them just fab to eat.

Pea and ham have been partners for many years and I add a little sliced Serrano ham to the pea sauce for this lovely fish dish.

Ingredients – serves 4

4 x 220g fillets of brill

1 onion, finely chopped

100ml white wine

250ml double cream

Teaspoon white wine vinegar

150g peas

2 slices Serrano ham, finely sliced

6 new potatoes, cooked and sliced

Another 150g peas

Method

1. Cook the onion in a little butter for 2 mins without colouring.

2. Add the white wine and vinegar and reduce by half.

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3. Add the double cream and bring up to a simmer then add the peas and cook for 2 mins.

4. Liquidise and strain through a fine sieve pushing as much through as you can.

5. Put the sauce into a clean saucepan and gently bring up to the simmer.

6. Pan-fry the brill in butter for 4 mins on each side until cooked.

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7. Put the potato, ham and peas in the sauce and cook for 3 mins. Taste and season if necessary.

If the sauce is too thick add a little water and stir.

8. Put the sauce, potato, peas and ham into 4 bowls and top with the brill.