- 10 mussels, scrubbed and debearded
- 10 surf clams, scrubbed
- 40ml/1½fl oz dry white wine
- 2 x 150–200g halibut fillets, pin-boned, skin on
- pinch salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 8 asparagus tips, 2 thinly sliced, the rest left whole
- 400ml/14fl oz fish stock
- 50g/1¾oz butter, plus extra for greasing
- 1 lemon, juice only
- 20g/¾oz brown shrimps, cleaned
- 20g/¾oz winkles, cleaned
- handful sea purslane
- Discard and replace any mussels and clams with broken shells or that refuse to close when tapped firmly. Heat a large, lidded saucepan and add the wine, mussels and clams. Cook with the lid on for 3½–4 minutes, or until the shellfish have opened, then remove them and set aside. Discard any that remain closed.
- Season the halibut with salt and drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil. Place onto buttered baking paper and cook in the steamer for 6–8 minutes, or until cooked.
- Heat a lidded saucepan over a medium–high heat and add the remaining oil. Roll the six whole asparagus tips in the oil, then add a ladle or two of fish stock. Cover with the lid and cook for 4 minutes, or until just tender, adding more stock if needed. Remove the asparagus and set aside.
- Simmer the fish stock without the lid until reduced. Whisk in the butter and lemon juice. Return the asparagus, mussels and clams to the pan and stir in the brown shrimps, winkles and sea purslane. Simmer for 2–3 minutes, until everything is cooked and hot through.
- Place the shellfish mixture into the centre of two shallow bowls and put the halibut on top. Garnish with slices of raw asparagus.