Marinara Red Mullet with Hibiscus Tea and Courgettes

INGREDIENTS (for 4 servings)

For the red mullet

• 4 x 200 gr red mullets
• 30 gr brown sugar
• 30 gr coarse salt

For the marinara sauce

• Red Mullet carcasses
• 20 gr celery
• 20 gr onion
• 10 gr fennel
• 50 gr evo oil
• 50 gr tomato paste
• 200 gr pixel (datterino) tomatoes
• 50 gr capers
• 200 gr vegetable broth
• 3 gr salt

For the courgettes

• 60 gr tomato water
• 12 gr onion water
• 8 gr yuzu
• 12 gr Colatura di Alici / Anchovy garum
• 1 gr thyme
• 10 gr evo oil
• 2 courgettes

For the hibiscus tea gel

• 150 gr water
• 3 gr hibiscus tea
• 1 gr thyme
• 10 gr cornstarch
• 10 gr Colatura di Alici/ anchovy garum
• 5 gr mirin

For the hibiscus tea and tomato veil

• 250 gr datterino tomatoes
• 5 gr thyme
• 5 gr evo oil
• 15 gr red onion
• 8 gr hibiscus
• 5 gr glucose
• 1 gr xanthan
• 1,5 gr salt

METHOD

For the red mullet

1. Scale, gut, fillet, and debone the red mullets.
2. Spread half of the salt and sugar mixture on a plate, lay the red mullets on it, and sprinkle with the other part of the mixture.
3. Marinate them for 30 minutes in the fridge and then rinse with a 5% cold brine.
4. At the time of service, steam it for about 2 minutes.

For the marinara sauce

1. Toast the carcasses in the oven.
2. Add them to a browned base of celery, with half of onion, fennel and tomato paste.
3. Proceed by covering with water and ice and let it reduce by one-third; repeat this passage for three times.
4. In another saucepan, brown the onion before adding the tomatoes cut in half, the capers, and half tomato paste.
5. Sauté and add the vegetable stock and salt. Cook for 25 minutes.
6. Filter the mullet soup and add it to the second mixture. Reduce it until reaching a velvety consistency and filter.
7. Use it to sauce the mullet after the steaming.

For the courgettes

1. Cold mix all the ingredients, cut the courgette into four pieces and vacuum seal them at 100%.
2. After 1 hour, cook them at 82°C steam for 6 minutes before cooling them quickly.
3. At the time of service, brown them on both sides.

For the hibiscus tea gel

1. Bring the water to the boil and proceed with the infusion of the hibiscus tea and thyme for 25 minutes.
2. Filter and add the cornstarch, the anchovy garum, and mirin, bring it to the boil, and let it cool.
3. Once stabilized, proceed to whisk it in order to obtain a velvety gel.

For the hibiscus tea and tomato veil

1. Brown the onion in oil and add the halved datterino tomatoes and the hibiscus.
2. Allow all the liquids to drain out, and, once the sauce is cooked, blend and sieve it, and add cold xanthan, glucose, and salt before spreading the mixture on silicone mats and let it dry at 45 °C.