Red mullet tian with spinach and tomato

My garden looks a little more colourful this last week. It desperately needed some water, like most of France. My mother had advised me not to water the tomatoes... I thought she was mad! But, for once in my life, I listened, and in fact the tomatoes are great this year. I suppose the roots had had to extend further down to find a constant supply of water. Nature is surprising sometimes, though over the last few years has probably been troubled by frost and hail in April, heat waves in July. Next it'll be snow in August...

Anyway, here's a recipe to put those magnificent tomatoes to good use, along with of course, some of the herbs.

Preparation and cooking time: 1 hour

Ingredients for 4

8 red mullet fillets

800 gr fresh spinach

100 gr butter

5 tomatoes

1 chopped onion

Olive oil

Garlic

1 bouquet garni (bunch of various herbs, tied with string)

250 ml de fish stock

Thyme

Basil

Rosemary

Salt, pepper

• Wash and cut the ends from the spinach. Boil them in salted water for 5 seconds. Drain well.
• Fry in a little butter, and then keep to one side.
• Blanch, peel and chop the tomatoes.
• Sweat the onions in a little olive oil and butter.
• Add the tomatoes, the bouquet garni, and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 7 minutes.
• Reduce the diluted fish stock, then add in the tomatoes, the thyme and the basil.
• Add in the butter, and stir to bind the sauce.
• Butter the presentation circles, and place them onto greaseproof paper.
• Cut the mullet fillets into thin strips.
• Fill the circles with spinach, a spoonful of the tomato mixture (this is quite liquid), and the mullet strips (skin-side up) on top.
• Brush with a little olive oil, and place some rosemary leaves on top.
• Cook for 3 to 4 minutes in a hot oven.
• Place the circles and the paper onto a plate, slide away the paper and remove the circle. The juice will then spread around the plate.

Serve immediately!