• 300 ml (½ pt) mixed fish stock and dry white wine
• 600 ml (1 pt) mussels, cleaned and scrubbed
• 120 ml (4 fl oz) double cream
• salt and pepper
• 2 × 350 g (12 oz) John Dory fillets, skinned and trimmed
• 2 × 275 g (10 oz) red mullets, filleted
• 2 tbls chopped chives

Put the fish stock and white wine into a heavy-based pan and bring rapidly to the boil. Add the mussels, cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook until the mussels open. This should only take a few seconds. Remove the mussels and set aside. Discard the shells and any mussels which don’t open.

Strain 200 ml (7 fl oz) of the liquor into a measuring jug and set aside. Reduce the remaining liquor with the double cream and adjust the seasoning as well as the consistency, if necessary adding more fish stock to make a light coating sauce. Set aside.

Put the fish fillets in a pan and cover with the reserved strained liquor, adding more fish stock and white wine if necessary. Cover the pan with tinfoil or a tight-fitting lid and bring to the boil. Turn off the heat and allow the fish to sit in the liquor for a minute or two. Add the mussels to warm through. Take all the fish out and drain quickly. Add the chives to the sauce and reheat.

Pour the sauce on to a serving dish or plates and place the fish on top. Serve immediately.