Ode to the Fisherman

Method

1. Remove scales, gut, and dry the mullet. Fillet the fish, removing the head and bones. Cut into four portions.
2. Slice Portobello mushrooms thinly (0.5 cm). Arrange on a baking tray, salt lightly, and let sweat for 15–20 minutes.
3. After sweating, blot the mushrooms dry. Bake at 115°C in a static oven (no fan) for 15–20 minutes.
4. For the porcini broth: bring 1.8 L of water and 50 g of dried porcini to a boil, then let steep for 15–20 minutes. Strain.
5. For the vegetable broth: heat olive oil in a pot. Sauté carrot, celery, onion, tomato, garlic, ginger, and rosemary until slightly caramelized. Deglaze with soy sauce, mirin, and white wine vinegar. Add a sprig of rosemary, simmer on low heat for 6–7 minutes.
6. Combine the strained porcini broth with the vegetable broth. Reduce by 15–20%, then strain through a fine sieve.
7. For the carpione: in a cold pan, add water, bay leaves, red onion, white wine vinegar, and salt. Bring to a boil, then add sugar and pepper. Remove from heat and add the mullet fillets, meat side down. Cover and let sit for 7–8 minutes. Remove the fish and set aside.
8. Strain the carpione liquid. For every 100 g of liquid, add 1.5 g of agar-agar. Bring to a boil for 2–3 minutes, cool, then blend until smooth to make a gel.
9. Blend the baked mushrooms with some of the combined broth to make a thick cream. Season with salt and pepper.
10. For the bottarga hollandaise: in a double boiler, whisk 4 egg yolks with a little water and bottarga. Add white wine vinegar. Slowly drizzle in clarified butter while whisking continuously until thick. Remove from heat, pour into a cold bowl, season with salt and pepper, add cream, and strain through a fine sieve. Transfer to a siphon.
11. Finish cooking the fish: oil the skin side, place skin-side down on a hot grill. Cover and cook for 4–5 minutes. Season with salt.
12. To assemble: make a quenelle of mushroom cream, roll it in puffed quinoa. Place on the left side of the plate. Add a dollop of carpione gel next to it. Place the cooked fish to the left of the quenelle.
13. Using the siphon, dispense two dollops of bottarga hollandaise on top of the fish.
14. Garnish with fresh chives and grated bottarga.
15. Serve immediately while still hot.