• 6 red mullet, cleaned & scaled, heads, tails & gills removed but livers reserved
• 3 oz/75 g whiting
• 1 small slice of crustless bread soaked in 5 fl oz/150 ml crème fraiche or double/heavy cream
• 1 egg white, beaten
• salt & pepper
• 7 oz/200 g butter
• 1 bunch fresh chervil, chopped

Court Bouillon

• 3 pt/1½ litres cold water
• 1 carrot, sliced
• 1 onion, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp/30 ml cognac

Fillet the red mullet into 2 keeping the skin on 8 fillets. Make a stuffing by puréeing the whiting, the mullet livers & skinless fillets. Beat in the bread & when the mixture is smooth, fold in the cream & then the beaten egg white. Season with salt & pepper. Cut 4 pieces of muslin approximately 8 in/20 cm square & on each piece lay one mullet fillet, skin side down. Divide the stuffing mixture in 4 & spoon some along each fillet. Cover with remaining 4 fillets, skin side up & roll each in the muslin to form a sausage shape. Secure the ends tightly with thread. Bring the water to the boil with the court bouillon ingredients, reduce heat to low & poach the fish for 15 mins. In the meantime, melt the butter & heat the chervil in it. When the fish has finished cooking, remove the muslin carefully & serve the ‘sausages’ in a spoonful of melted chervil butter.