This is a fantastic base sauce for a couple of our fish recipes. It also adds a new dimension to plain grilled fish. Sadly, this gorgeous stuff doesn’t freeze, but this is the amount you’ll need if you are cooking Posh Fish Pie or Scallops with Ginger Cream and Fennel

2 shallots, thinly sliced

8g or a quarter of an ounce unsalted butter

125ml dry white wine

125ml Noilly Prat or other dry vermouth

250ml Vegetable Nage or light fish stock

125ml double cream

125ml single cream

• Gently sauté the shallots in a wide shallow pan, so they go soft, yet uncoloured

• Add the wine and the vermouth to the pan and boil for about 12 minutes, or it’s reduced to a thin syrup

• Add the stock. Boil till it reduces by half

• Stir in both creams, then simmer very gently till it goes to a rich coating consistency, 10 to 15 minutes

• Pass through a fine sieve