Roasted skate wing with charred leeks and samphire

Method

• step 1

  For the chutney, heat the vegetable oil in a large pan, add the leeks and onion, and cook for 15 minutes, stirring regularly until really golden. Tip in the sugar and bay leaf, and stir until dissolved. Add the balsamic vinegar and reduce until sticky. Cool.

• step 2

  For the sauce, melt the butter in a large pan and add the star anise, fennel, shallot and garlic with some seasoning, and cook until soft. Add the wine and reduce by ¹/2. Add the vegetable stock and again reduce by ¹/2. Pour in the cream, simmer for 5 minutes, then season and strain.

• step 3

  Meanwhile, heat the oven to 240C/fan 220C/gas 9. Blanch the baby leeks in a large pan of boiling salted water for 3 minutes, then drain well. Arrange the leeks on a tray, cut-side up, and sprinkle with the sugar and some seasoning. Roast in the oven for 8-10 minutes or until caramelised.

• step 4

  Turn the oven down to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6 and toast the kombu sheet for 3 minutes. Put in a blender along with the grapeseed oil and blend until well combined. Set aside for a few minutes then strain through muslin or a fine sieve.

• step 5

  Heat the vegetable oil in a large ovenproof frying pan, season the skate wings well and cook on their thickest sides for 5 minutes or until golden. Put into the oven for 8 minutes, flip the wings, add the butter and cook in the oven for a further 2 minutes or until the flesh starts to flake. Rest the wings on a plate for several minutes. Meanwhile, add the samphire to the pan and stir for 4 minutes or until tender.

• step 6

  Plate each fish wing with the sauce, chutney, leeks and samphire, and use the kombu oil to speckle the sauce.