INGREDIENTS
SERVES 6

For the soup
1 large onion
2 small garlic cloves
2 fennel heads
1 tbsp olive oil
100g (½oz) ground almonds
1 litre (1¾ pints) chicken or vegetable stock
½ lemon (optional)
extra-virgin olive oil and good crusty bread, to serve

For the plaice
250g (9oz) unsalted butter
4 slices bread
5g (1/8 oz) fresh thyme
15g (½oz) flat leaf parsley
1 lemon
1 clove garlic
6 x 150g (7oz) plaice fillets
3 shallots
5 tbsp white-wine vinegar
crispy salad leaves to serve

For the syllabub
400g (14oz) blackberries
200g (7oz) caster sugar
3 tbsp créme de mûre (blackcberry liqueur), optional
1 lemon
500ml (18 fl oz) double cream
6 shortbread or butter biscuits

METHOD

0 to 10 minutes
Tip the blackberries into a pan with half of the sugar. Cover and cook over a moderate heat, stirring occasionally for 2 to 3 minutes, or until tender. Tip into a strainer over a bowl, then return the juice to the pan with the créme de mûre, if using, and simmer until reduced by half. Stir the thickened juices back into the blackberries and leave to cool.

10 to 20 minutes
Peel and finely slice the onion. Peel and finely chop the garlic. Cut the fennel bulbs in half lengthwise, remove the core and slice thinly. Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onion, fennel and garlic and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until really soft, stirring regularly.

20 to 30 minutes
Add the ground almonds and stock to the pan, bring to the boil, bring to the boil, remove from the heat and season well with salt, freshly milled black pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice to taste, if using. You can eat it like this or, for a smoother texture (especially if serving chilled), leave the soup to cool for at least 10 minutes then blend to a purée. Chill if desired.

Continue with the syllabub: Squeeze the juice from the lemon and pour into a large bowl with the double cream and remaining sugar and whisk into soft peaks. Divide the cream between 6 dessert glasses and refrigerate.

30 to 40 minutes
Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas mark 5. Melt 50g (1°34;oz) of the butter. Remove the crusts from the bread (though there is no need to do so if using sliced bread) and whiz in a food processor until you have fine crumbs. Remove the leaves from the thyme and parsley and chop roughly. Finely grate the zest from the lemon. Peel and finely chop the garlic. Mix the herbs, lemon zest and garlic with the breadcrumbs and place on a large plate.

40 to 50 minutes
Season the fish with salt and freshly milled black pepper and dip the top side of each filet into into the melted butter and then into the breadcrumb mixture. Lay crumb-side up in a single layer on a baking-tray. Sprinkle over any remaining crumbs and drizzle over the remaining melted butter.

50 to 60 minutes
Squeeze the juice from the lemon and chop the remaining butter into small dice. Peel and finely chop the shallots and place in a small saucepan. Pour in the vinegar with 3 tbsp of water and a little salt and freshly milled black pepper. Bake the fish in the oven for 6 to 8 minutes or until the fish is tender and the crust golden.

TO SERVE
Ladle the soup (warmed through or chilled, as you wish) into 6 bowls, drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil and serve with crusty bread.

Place the small saucepan over a high heat and reduce until only a tablespoon of liquid remains. Throw in a small handful of the butter dice at a time, whisking constantly. once the butter has melted add another handful and continue until you have a smooth creamy sauce. Add half of the lemon juice and a little more salt and freshly milled black pepper, adding more juice to taste.

Serve the plaice fillets on warmed plates with the beurre blanc and salad leaves on the side.

Spoon the blackberries onto the cream in the glasses, crumble over the biscuits and serve.