Tartare of Tuna with Cucumber, Quail’s Egg and Caviar with Chilled Gazpacho
Serves 2
Tuna tartare:
1 Tuna steak approximately 195g
Sea salt and cracked black pepper
Lemon juice
Chopped mixed herbs, such as basil, tarragon, lemon balm
1 Clove garlic
2 Tbspn Diced cucumber
2 Spears of cooked asparagus and diced
1 tblspn mayonnaise
Cut the tuna into ¼-inch cubes and place into a bowl, season with salt, pepper herbs and lemon juice adding the asparagus and cucumber. Bind with the mayonnaise and cover until ready to assemble.
Gazpacho: Blanch the tomatoes briefly in boiling water, pop them into a bowl of cold water, then remove the skin and seeds and chop coarsely. Then blitz with the remaining ingredients except the olive oil in a blender, with the motor still running, add the olive oil, drop by drop increasing it to a trickle, until you have a smooth dressing. Put through a fine sieve. Leave the mixture in the fridge until well chilled (at least 3 hours).
1 small garlic clove
400g cherry tomatoes
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
½ tsp unrefined caster sugar
½ tsp salt
Squeeze of lemon juice
50 ml olive oil
Sherry dressing: Combine all the ingredients together with 1 tablespoon of water and season to taste. Store in a fridge for up 3-4 days
125 ml olive oil
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
½ tbsp clear honey
½ tsp grainy mustard
½ garlic clove, crushed
Freshly ground salt and pepper
For the garnish:
2 quails’ eggs cooked and peeled
½ cucumber, chilled
Mixed salad leaves and herbs
4 tsp caviar or Lumpfish roe
Springs of chervil
To assemble:
1. Place the tartare into centre of shallow bowls or plates in 2 1/2-inch-diameter pastry ring pressing down as you do so. Now carefully remove the pastry ring.
2. Slice the chilled cucumber in half lengthwise and scoop out the soft centre. Slice each length very thinly into crescents. Toss the mixed leaves and herbs in the sherry dressing.
3. Place the cucumber halves in an overlapping circle around the outside edge of the top of the tartare. Arrange a bunch of mixed leaves and herbs in the middle of that, then nestle a quail’s eggs in the centre, and garnish with a little caviar or lumpfish roe and a spring of chervil.
4. Spoon the chilled gazpacho dressing around the base of the tartare and serve immediately.
Fricassee of Chicken with Chocolate & Smoked Paprika
Serves 2
4 Chicken legs jointed
1 Med sliced onions
½ Tspn Cumin & fennel seeds
½ Tblspn Cocoa powder
½ Tspn Smoked paprika
2 Garlic cloves- cracked
1 Sprig thyme and Bay leaf
200 ml Merlot wine
Plain Flour
1 tblspn Clear honey
Sea Salt and pepper
1 tblspn Crème fraiche
Chervil and Chives
1. Season the chicken with salt, pepper, paprika, garlic, thyme ,bay and spices. Add enough olive oil to coat and leave to infuse for at least 1 hr.
2. Heat up a heavy based pan with a fitting lid and introduce the pieces of chicken skin side down with a little healthy spread and colour evenly on both sides. Remove from the pan with the herbs and garlic.
3. A dd the sliced onions to the pan and sweat down until soft, adding the cocoa powder and mix in the honey.
4. Return the chicken pieces and herbs back into the pan.
5. Sprinkle enough flour to absorb any fat residue and form a basic roux.
6. Stir in the wine and ensure there are no lumps and the sauce is just thickened.
7. Bring to the simmer and remove any impurities that rise to the surface with a spoon.
8. Place the lid on and cook in the oven for another 20 minutes, this dish should take approximately 40 minutes form start to finish, therefore by the time you have finished sealing etc. you should only have about 20 minutes left which can be finished through the oven or on top of the stove.
9. The sauce is finished with a little extra virgin olive oil. Divide the chicken between two plates and finish with crème fraiche, chervil and chive tops.
Sweet Spiced ‘Bling’ Cherries with Kirsch and Crème Fraiche
Serves 2
300g Fresh Bling cherries
1 tbspn White sugar
Kirsch
¼ Cinnamon stick
4 Star anis
½ Vanilla pod split
