Recipe by Vincenzo Russo: Red mullet reminiscent of parmigiana.

For the parmigiana

2 long eggplants
1 bunch of basil
6 eggs
200 g of 00 flour
50 g of Parmesan cheese
1 kg of datterino cherry tomatoes
1 liter of seed oil
200 g of buffalo mozzarella
50 g of extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper

Method

Wash and dry the eggplants. Cut them with a slicer to a thickness of 4 mm, then salt them and press them for at least 30 minutes to extract the liquid and remove the bitter taste.

After half an hour, rinse them thoroughly under cold water and squeeze them dry; finish the process by placing them on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Flour the eggplants and dip them in the batter made with eggs, Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper; finally, fry them in seed oil at 170°C until golden brown on both sides.

Once they are all fried, assemble the parmigiana: line a bowl with parchment paper and spread the previously cooked and puréed datterini tomato sauce on top. Continue with a layer of fried eggplant, datterini sauce, buffalo mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, basil leaves, a sprinkling of pepper, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Repeat the process until all the eggplant is used up; finally, distribute the tomato and Parmesan cheese, cover with parchment paper, and press down with a bowl to make the mixture compact and uniform. Bake at 180 degrees for 20 minutes, allow to cool with a weight on top, then cut into rectangles that will serve as inserts for the mullet.

Use part of the parmigiana to make a cream: blend in a Thermomix for a few minutes and pass through a sieve.

For the mullet and mullet mayonnaise

4 mullet weighing 300g each (preferably rock mullet)
Salt and extra virgin olive oil to taste
2 egg yolks
300 g seed oil
10 g anchovy sauce
Salt and pepper

Method

Fillet, trim and bone the mullet, leaving the tail attached. Set aside the trimmings and proceed with making the mullet oil. Brown the trimmings, cool and place in a vacuum cooking bag with seed oil at 60 degrees for 4 hours. After 4 hours, filter, cool and proceed with making the mullet mayonnaise, seasoning at the end with anchovy sauce.

Place the parmigiana inside the previously filleted mullet. Make an origami at the tail using parchment paper, foil, and oil. Season the mullet with Cervia salt and oil, quickly searing it first on one side and then on the other. Once seared and rested, finish cooking in the salamander.

For the pearl eggplant chips

3 pearl eggplants
500 g seed oil
Salt and Maldon salt to taste

Method

Wash and dry the pearl eggplants. Using a mandolin, cut them into 2 mm thick slices and fry them in seed oil at 160 degrees; once fried, dry them and salt them.