Rillette of mackerel on pickled cucumber carpaccio

by Simon Hulstone
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servings4
1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

Mackerel pâté

  • 4 mackerel fillets
  • 75g of butter, whipped
  • 3 tbsp of crème fraîche
  • 1/2 tsp horseradish, finely grated
  • smoked paprika to taste
  • salt

Cucumber pickle

  • 1 cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 600ml of water
  • 2 cloves
  • 1 cardamom pod
  • 4 black peppercorns
  • 1/2 tsp caraway seeds, toasted
  • 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 sprig of tarragon
  • 30g of salt
  • 50ml of white wine vinegar

Poaching liquid

  • 2 large shallots, peeled and finely sliced
  • 1 leek, white part only
  • 2 celery sticks
  • 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 4 black peppercorns
  • 4 stalks of fresh parsley
  • 1000g of turbot bones
  • 200ml of dry white wine
  • 2l water
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 50ml of olive oil
  • salt
  • pepper

Fennel jelly

  • 100ml of fennel juice
  • 1g of agar agar

Method

1
First make the pickle, heat the 600ml of water up to boiling point with everything except the vinegar. As soon as the water boils remove from the heat and allow to cool
  • 600ml of water
  • 2 cloves
  • 1 cardamom pod
  • 4 black peppercorns
  • 1/2 tsp caraway seeds
  • 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 sprig of tarragon
  • 30g of salt
2
When the mixture is cold, add the vinegar to the pan. Place the sliced cucumbers into a kilner jar and cover with the vinegar mix. Set aside until needed, the longer the better
  • 50ml of white wine vinegar
  • 1 cucumber
3
To make the poaching liqour, sweat off the shallots and garlic - without colour - in a heavy based pan on a medium heat
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 2 large shallots
4
Add the bay leaf, parsley, peppercorns, celery sticks, leek and fish bones. Allow to cook for 2-3 mins, add the wine and reduce until almost dry
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 4 stalks of fresh parsley
  • 4 black peppercorns
  • 1000g of turbot bones
  • 200ml of dry white wine
5
Add cold water and bring to the simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes, skimming constantly. Remove from the heat and leave to stand for 20 mins
  • 2l water
6
Add the lemon juice and pass through a sieve. Check seasoning and store in the fridge until ready to use
  • 1 lemon
7
For the fennel jelly dissolve the agar agar in a little water and mix into the fennel juice. Bring to a boil and then pour into a suitable container to allow to set for 20-30 mins. Cut into a small dice
  • 100ml of fennel juice
  • 1g of agar agar
8
In a wide pan, poach the mackerel fillets in your poaching liquor until cooked. Once cooked, discard the cooking liquor and separate the flesh from the mackerel skin
  • 4 mackerel fillets
9
Put the mackerel flesh in a bowl add the butter, crème fraiche, horseradish, and paprika to taste. Then combine all the ingredients with a fork, until the mackerel has broken up into fine strands and season (similar to a meat rillette)
  • 75g of butter
  • smoked paprika to taste
  • 3 tbsp of crème fraîche
  • 1/2 tsp horseradish
  • salt
  • pepper
10
You want the mixture to be dry enough so you can quenelle it later on - if it isn’t just add a little more crème fraiche. Cover and chill. Once ready to serve, plate with the pickled cucumber