If you don’t fancy cooking it yourself, you can
always try it at the Buoy and Oyster as it is part
of the spring menu there.
Locally Caught Mackerel (serves 4)
Torched fillet and raw tartare with c
ucumber ribbons, cucumber ketchup, Kentish
cox apples, rye bread croutons, dill oil and
fresh horseradish.
“This is bound to be a dinner party
showstopper and is a fantastic starter to
showcase some seasonal Kentish produce
without stretching the bank. This dish is all
in the prep and the real fun begins with
plating up when you are ready to serve – the
bright colours and textures gives this dish the
wow factor.
Ingredients
• 2 medium to large mackerel
(ask your fishmonger to ‘V cut’ the bones out
– this will leave you with 8 mini fillets (4 belly,
4 thicker parts))
• Stick of fresh horseradish
• 2 Kentish cox apples (available from your
local greengrocer)
• 1 bunch of dill
• Rye bread (you can bake your own or buy a
baked loaf)
• 2 cucumbers
• Nasturtium leaves (foraged, you may have
in your back garden! Or from garden centre)
• 100ml Quex Park rapeseed oil
• 1 Tablespoon crème fraiche
• 1 Tablespoon agar agar
(vegetarian setting agent)
• 2 Teaspoons caster sugar
• 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
Method
For the tartare
1. Finely dice the 4 raw mackerel belly 1/2 fillets
2. Add the crème fraiche
“Mackerel is bang in season, plentiful and
sustainable and should be available from any
local fishmonger or fish counter, that is if you
haven’t got time to sit with a couple of rods
by the sea!"
Simon Morriss, owner/head chef of
Buoy and Oyster, Margate
3. Grate horseradish to preference
(using a zester)
4. Add a few sprigs of chopped dill and season
with salt and pepper
fridge for 2 hours then use a blender until
smooth and pass through a sieve.
Cucumber ketchup: Peel ribbons (using peeler)
12 lengths of cucumber and leave to one side
(4 ribbons per portion).
Add the remaining cucumber, including
skin into a blender (or use stick blender). Blend
until liquid and pass through a fine strainer –
discard the pulp and place the vibrant
green liquid into a saucepan with sugar and
vinegar and gently heat to 85oC (do not boil).
Add agar agar and stir until completely
dissolved. Cool in a fridge for 2 hours until
set/firm. Once set cut into small pieces and
re-blend until velvety smooth – add to a
squeezy bottle if you have one.
Rye bread croutons: Thinly slice and bake in
oven at 180oC until crisp (approx. 7 mins).
Apples: Thinly diced fresh apple (leave this
until last to retain colour).
Once you are ready to serve to your guests…
For the mackerel fillet:
Take the thicker ‘mini fillet’ and blowtorch
skin side up until cooked through (can also
grill skin side up).
For the garnish Using a tablespoon, portion the tartare onto
the plate, add all of the elements, cucumber
ribbons and around the tartare and fillet.
Dill oil: Heat rapeseed oil in a sauce pan up to
70oC, add whole bunch of dill and turn off
heat (take 12 leaves from bunch of dill and
leave to one side for plating). Leave to cool in *** Chefs top tip: This starter pairs perfectly
with an Anno gin and tonic with cucumber
ribbon garnish!
LOCAL FARM SHOPS
KENT IS SUCH A WONDERFUL PLACE TO BUY PERFECT PRODUCE, SO IT’S ALWAYS WORTH CHECKING OUT YOUR
LOCAL FARM SHOP TO SEE WHAT YOU CAN FIND THERE. NOT ONLY WILL EVERYTHING BE ABSOLUTELY FRESH,
BUT IT WILL BE LESS EXPENSIVE THAN A SUPERMARKET IN MOST CASES TOO.
Broadditch Farm Shop
Manor Farm, New Barn Road,
Southfleet DA13 9PU
www.broadditch.co.uk / 01474 834161
Macknade Fine Foods
The Street, Faversham ME13 8XF
www.macknade.com / 01795 534497
The Goods Shed
Station Road West, Canterbury CT2 8AN
www.thegoodsshed.co.uk / 01227 459153
Fuller’s Butchers & Farm Shop
Bunny Lane, Eridge, Tunbridge Wells TN3 9BY
www.fullers-tw.co.uk / 01892 541238
Quex Barn Farm Shop
Quex View Road, Birchington CT7 0BB
www.quexbarn.com / 01843 846103
Silcocks Farm Shop
Grange Road, St Michaels,
Tenterden TN30 6TL
www.silcocksfarm-organics.co.uk
/ 01580 763351
Little Farthingloe Farm
Folkestone Road, Dover CT15 7AA
www.littlefarthingloefarm.co.uk
/ 01304 212040
75