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Recipes

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Serves: 4
This is one of Phil Vickery's classic dishes, it used to be his top selling starter in his Michelin starred hotel. It is simple but fantastically tasty, try it and let me know what you think. Copyright Phil Vickery
1. Heat 4cm of oil in a frying pan to 185°C.

2. To make the saffron mayonnaise, place the, mayonnaise, shallot, saffron water into a bowl and mix well, then add the chives, you need a dropping sauce, not too thin or thick, then taste and check the seasoning, adjust if needed.

3. Next make the dressing, by whisking the mustard, vinegar and salt, pepper and sugar together well.

4. Place the wedges of beetroots into a bowl and spoon over the dressing and basil and mix well, season with salt and pepper if needed.

5. When ready to eat, place the flour, salt, pepper and parsley into a bowl, add enough lager or water to form a smooth batter, not too thick. Do not over whisk or the batter will be too heavy.

6. Flour the fillets carefully then, dust off any excess flour.

7. Place each fillet into the batter one at a time, coat well and place straight into the hot oil.

8. Cook no more than 4 at a time or the heat in the oil will drop too much.

9. Cook for 6-8 minutes turning occasionally until golden.

10. Lift out of the oil and drain well, season with a little salt. Place a little rocket and watercress onto the middle of two plates.

12. Top with 5-6 wedges of marinated, warm beetroot. Top with 2 cooked fillets of crisp sole. Spoon the mayo over the centre of the two fillets, then serve immediately or the batter will go soggy.

  • 4 x 115g lemon fillets, fresh as possible free of skin and bones, cut in half lengthways, leaving you with 4 thin strips
  • 175g self raising flour
  • Pinch salt
  • Pinch pepper
  • 2 tbsp heaped fresh, chopped parsley
  • 200mls lager or sparkling water, roughly
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • Mayonnaise
  • 6 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp very finely chopped chives
  • 1 tbsp very finely chopped shallot
  • 2 pinches saffron let down with 3 tbsp boiling water
  • Dressing
  • 6tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 3 tbsp sherry vinegar
  • pinch salt and pepper
  • pinch sugar
  • Salad
  • 4 medium cooked beetroots, warm if possible, not hot, each cut into 6 wedges
  • 20g fresh basil roughly chopped
  • 85g bag watercress
  • 85g bag rocket
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