red mullet, an ephemeral delight

It is expected almost all year. It is finally the beginning of an ephemeral fishing. Three weeks, no more, to appreciate this still very small red mullet: the picker. A flagship fish from the Arcachon basin with a full-bodied taste. The sun has just risen over the port and Délia Bernardi is already getting ready on her boat. Here, she is the only woman to fish for red mullet. You have to be patient. In these calm waters, this famous fish has its own tempo. It is only fished at harvest time, hence its name. After a few hours, the first pickers are collected with the greatest delicacy: “I have no choice but to do it by hand, because they are such fragile fish. We have a very respectful fishing method, I am for sustainable fishing. I would like my children to be able to fish red mullet still in 20 years.”

That morning, red mullets are rare. Exceptional fishing awaited every day by Stéphane Carrade, two Michelin stars. Barely out of the water, the red mullets go to the kitchen in its emblematic restaurant, at the foot of the Pyla dune. Today, the chef is trying out a new recipe for his future menu: “To lift it is a little sleight of hand. You go along the edge with a knife that cuts well.” All the rest of the fish is used to prepare the sauce. The red mullet fillets, meanwhile, are placed on a layer of salt for cooking, over glowing embers. Marinated potatoes, radishes, cucumbers and nuts to accompany it. Red mullet will soon be on the menu. An ephemeral recipe, because the picker’s season has barely begun and will soon come to an end.