Mackerel, lettuce, pancetta, garlic mayo and Twineham Grange snow

14th June 2018
Written by: Admin

By Steven Edwards, chef proprietor Etch, Brighton

Serves 4

FOR THE MACKEREL:

  • 2 x 150g mackerel fillets
  • Caster sugar
  • Table salt

TARTARE SAUCE:

  • 25g chopped capers
  • 1g chopped flat leaf parsley
  • 2g chopped chives
  • 25g fine diced banana shallot
  • 5g Worcestershire sauce
  • 20g mayonnaise
  • 10g wholegrain mustard

BEER-BATTERED WHITEBAIT:

  • 4 frozen whitebait

FOR THE LETTUCE:

  • 1 baby gem lettuce
  • Pomace oil
  • Table salt

FOR THE GARLIC MAYO:

  • 50g pomace oil
  • 1 garlic clove, peeled
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2g lemon juice
  • 2g English mustard
  • 1g Maldon sea salt

FOR THE SNOW:    

  • 200g grated Twineham Grange
  • 400ml water
  • Salt
  • Lemon juice

CRISPY PANCETTA:

  • 4 thin slices of pancetta
Preparation method

FOR THE MACKEREL:

  • Roll the mackerel fillets in a 50/50 mix of caster sugar and table salt. Leave on a tray in the fridge for 20 minutes then wash off and pat dry with a clean kitchen cloth. Remove pin bones and quarter each fillet into 30g portions. Remove the skin of the four belly portions and dice finely.
  • Bind with tartare sauce (see below), roll in cling film, set in fridge then portion into 4.
  • To order: Rub oil onto the skin of the head quarters and blowtorch the skin until crispy and brown. Do this quickly so as not to overcook fish.

TARTARE SAUCE:

  • Mix all ingredients together

BEER-BATTERED WHITEBAIT:

  • Roll in plain flour and dip in a beer batter. Fry at 180°C for 2 minutes until golden brown and crispy.

FOR THE LETTUCE:

  • Quarter the baby gem lettuce through the root and wash off thoroughly in iced water.
  • Drain and pat dry with a clean kitchen cloth. Rub with pomace oil and season with table salt.
  • Blowtorch until brown and serve 1/4 per portion.

FOR THE GARLIC MAYO:

  • Heat the oil and garlic clove to 90°C for 30 minutes in a water bath. Drain off (saving the oil) and add the garlic to a mixing bowl.
  • Use the back of a spoon to break down the garlic clove into a purée and add all ingredients except the oil.
  • Whisk the ingredients and slowly add the saved oil until the mixture is thick and glossy.

FOR THE SNOW:    

  • Heat the water to 80°C and pour over the grated cheese.
  • Whisk and adjust seasoning with salt and lemon juice.
  • Freeze at -22°C for 12 hours then process in a Pacojet or pass through a mouli to achieve a granita texture.

CRISPY PANCETTA:

  • Line a flat tray with baking paper. Lay the pancetta slices neatly on the tray and place another sheet of baking paper on top. Place a flat tray on top and cook in the oven at 180°C for 12-15 minutes until brown and crispy.
  • Remove the tray from the top and lay the crispy pancetta on a cooling wire.

TO SERVE:

  • Blowtorch mackerel and lettuce (one piece of each per portion). Place mackerel tartare wrapped in jelly on plate.
  • Add the torched mackerel and lettuce either side of the tartare.
  • Place garlic mayo into a piping bag and pipe three dots. Add one pancetta crisp (two halves).
  • Now batter the whitebait and lean up against the lettuce.
  • Sprinkle Twineham Grange Snow over the top.