The fish monger recommended these red mullets. He chose and filleted two nice fresh ones. This time I decided to try cooking these quickly in the oven. They were good and it’s a carefree way to cook these fish but I prefer pan frying for the crispy skin. Here is a video of the oven method.
Virgin sauce is a Bordelaise dressing made with marinated tomatoes, basil, lemon and olive oil. I added a large clove of smashed garlic. It should be allowed to marinate over night.
Rouget a la Sauce Vierge
Pulp sections of one lemon
3 small tomatoes, pulp and seed removed, diced
3 tbsp fresh basil, cut into strips with scissors
1 large garlic clove, smashed
Salt and pepper
4 large red mullet fillets
Olive oil
Fleur de sel
Piment d’Espelette
The night before, put the lemon sections, tomatoes, garlic, salt, pepper and basil in a bowl and cover with olive oil. Refrigerate.
Fry the mullet fillets in 1 tablespoon of olive oil, about 1 minute per side or use the oven method; add a little oil to a shallow baking pan, sprinkle with fleur de sel and piment d’espelette, top with the fillets and cook in a 475 degree oven for about 3 minutes (see video). Serve with sauce vierge.
Wine suggestion: Petit Chablis
Beautifully shot -excellent recipe
Thank you.
Gorgeous fish! What is a good substitute for piment d’espelette? Thanks!
If you dry piment d’espelette you would get a spicy paprika. I use it as a mild cayenne.
Beautiful fish!
Thank you Greg!
I prefer frying my fish instead of baking in the oven too. Looks great!
Me too
I’d heard of bordelaise sauce but never really knew what it was – it sounds yummy! Certainly ike it complimented the mullet well! And I love your photos, they are so colourful and beautiful!
Hi Juls. This is not THE bordelaise sauce, but “virgin sauce” made in the Bordeaux fashion. Sorry for the misunderstanding and thank you.
Great looking dish and beautiful pictures. Can’t wait to buy some red mullet this weekend, I know how I will prepare it now 🙂
Thank you, I love this fish!
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