Sea bream fillet saltimbocca

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 4 fish (sea bream), approx. 500 g each
• 8 slice(s) ham, mild, air-dried, e.g. San Daniele
• 16 sage leaves
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• little flour
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Fish (bones and heads of sea bream)
• 2 glasses of white wine
• 20 ml vermouth (Noilly Prat)
• 80 g leek, diced
• 80 g celery, diced
• 40 g parsley root(s), diced
• 2 sprigs of thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 shallot(s), quartered
• salt and pepper
• 700 ml water
• 80 g butter, very cold

Instructions

Working time approx. 40 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 50 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 30 minutes

Scale the gutted fish under running water with the blunt back of a chef’s knife, remove the gills, and fillet them. Cut the fillets straight along the edges and set aside in a cool place. For the sauce, soak the bones and heads in water for as long as necessary, changing the water frequently until it no longer becomes cloudy. Then dry the bones and sauté them in the oil over low heat for 4-5 minutes. Now dry the heads and add them. Increase the heat, pour in 1 glass of wine, let it reduce slightly, pour in the water, add the vegetables and spices, bring to a rapid boil once, then let it simmer for 30 minutes at just below boiling point. Finally, season lightly with salt and pepper and strain. Refrigerate or freeze half of the stock for later sauces. Reduce the other half to 6 tablespoons with the shallot, Noilly Prat, and the second glass of wine. Then, while still still boiling, add the butter a little at a time and season with salt and pepper. Carefully score the skin-side of the fillets three times with a very sharp knife and lightly flour. On the other side, because of the ham, carefully season with salt and pepper, scatter two sage leaves on each side, and secure a slice of ham with a toothpick. Cut the ham slices to the size of the fillets beforehand. Heat the oil in two pans and fry the fillets skin-side down for about 2 minutes. Turn them over, remove the pans from the heat, and let them cook for another 1-2 minutes on the ham side. Pour 3 tablespoons of the sauce into the center of a plate and arrange two fillets on each plate, one skin-side up and the other ham-side up. If possible, remove the toothpicks so that the ham sticks to the fillet. I serve this with steamed purple artichokes and 1-2 polenta cakes fried in butter until golden brown. Other ingredients, such as steamed spinach, are also possible.