For the sauce:
Sweat down the celery and shallots until soft in a sauce pan, add the tomato puree and cook out for 5 minutes. Add the brandy, burn the alcohol by lighting a match over the vapour or you can use the gas flame on your hob. Add the white wine and bring to the boil for 1 minute. Put in the langoustine bones and cover with cold water. Add the bay, star anise then bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes, don’t simmer for more than this otherwise the sauce will turn butter. Pass the stock through a fine sift. Return to a clean pan then reduce by half then add the double cream, then reduce again by half. Season with salt and lemon juice to your preference.
For the puree:
Shred the fennel finely with a sharp knife. Melt the butter in a saucepan and warm until foaming. Add the fennel to the butter and sweat on a low heat until very soft, this can take around 1 hour. Add the chicken stock to the fennel then reduce until all the liquid has evaporated. Pour in the double cream and again reduce until the pan is almost dry. Blend in a high power food processor until the puree is smooth. Pass through a fine sift then serve.
To serve:
Blanch the langoustine tails in boiling water for 1 minute, make sure you remove the intestinal track beforehand. Dip the tails into iced water then peel off the shells. To cook the fish warm a non-stick pan with a touch of oil. Add the Bass skin side down and fry gently until the skin is golden and crisp. Flip the fish, add a knob of butter then cook gentle until the core temperature reaches 60 degrees. In the last 2 minutes of cooking add the langoustines then serve immediately. Dip the coastal herbs in boiling water for 10 seconds. Dress the plate with the puree on the base then build the other ingredients on the plate however you please.