Culinary heavyweight Nick Brodie, head chef at the 3 AA Rosette Llangoed Hall in Wales, brings us this delicious recipe for cured mackerel, scallop, apricot and cucumber.
Ingredients
For the garnish
Fresh apricot
Shiso leaves
Baby cucumber
Oyster leaf
Buttermilk
For the cucumbers
1 baby cucumber
5g salt
5g sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
For the mackerel
200g Cornish sea salt
125g sugar
7.5g coriander seeds, crushed
7.5g white peppercorns, crushed
4 very fresh good-quality mackerel fillets, pin-boned and cut lengthways into two
4 limes, zest and juice only
For the cucumber oil
1 large cucumber, peel only
50ml grapeseed oil
For the scallop ceviche
2 scallops
Shallot
Olive oil
Sea salt
Parsley
Lemon juice
Preparation method
For the ceviche
Cut scallop into dice.
Sprinkle with chopped shallot, parsley and drizzle with other ingredients to give a nice acidic kick.
For the mackerel
In a bowl combine all the ingredients, except the mackerel, lime zest and lime juice, and mix thoroughly.
Place the mackerel fillets flesh-side up onto a tray, then evenly pack the salt mixture onto the flesh and set aside for 25 minutes.
For the cucumber oil, peel the cucumber and blanch the skin. Drain well, then add to a food processor with the grape seed oil and blend to a deep green oil.
For the mackerel, brush the salt off the mackerel and discard.
Use a chef’s blow torch to cook the mackerel (alternatively cook them under a very hot grill for a few minutes). Season with sea salt, lime juice and zest.
For the garnish, cut apricots into precise dice, any left over apricot pieces blitz in a food processor for a fresh coulis.
To serve, place the mackerel on a board and slice into two pieces, then place in the centre of each plate. Remove the marinated cucumber from the bag and roll into tight springs, then place the slices around the scallop. Decorate around the plate with the shiso and apricot and dot a little cucumber oil and apricot coulis.
