Ingredients

30g butter

1 tbsp olive oil

2 baby leeks, white part only, thinly sliced

1 stick celery, thinly sliced

1 tsp curry powder

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

1 cup white wine

½ cup water

2 tbsp French brandy

500g firm skinless white fish fillets (blue-eye trevalla, ling or flathead), cut into 10cm long strips

12 (200g) fresh scallops, roe removed

12 green king prawns, peeled leaving tail intact and deveined

500g black mussels, cleaned and drained

½ cup light cooking cream

2 egg yolks

Salt and cracked pepper

1 tbsp chervil leaves, chopped

1 lemon, cut into wedges, to serve

Method

1.

Heat butter and oil in a large heavy-based pot over a medium heat. Add leek and celery. Cook, stirring, for 4 minutes or until soft but not brown. Add curry powder and cayenne and stir for 1 minute.

2.

Add wine, water and brandy. Simmer on a medium heat for 3 minutes. Add seafood to pot and stir gently to coat with poaching liquid.

3.

Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until fish is cooked and mussels have opened. Remove from the heat. Using a large mesh spoon, transfer seafood to a serving dish. Discard any mussels that haven’t opened. Cover dish to keep warm.

4.

Whisk together cream and yolks in a large jug. Add a few tbsps of hot liquid from pot and stir quickly, then gradually add a few more tbsps until combined. Pour cream mixture into pot and stir constantly to prevent yolks from curdling.

5.

Return pot to a medium-low heat and cook, stirring, until mixture thickens slightly, about 2-3 minutes. Season to taste. Pour sauce over seafood in dish and sprinkle with chervil. Serve with lemon wedges.

Recipe Kerrie Worner

With over 20 years in magazines, Kerrie’s work has adorned HB’s pages as contributing food editor, along with BHG, Elle Cuisine, Australian Women’s Weekly and Family Circle. “It is so important to encourage people to learn simple food skills so they can learn how easy it is to fall in love with their creative side,” she says.