Mackerel, white chocolate, horseradish and beetroot

Beetroot and mackerel are a classic combination, as this mackerel recipe proves. In James Sommerin's recipe, both ingredients are treated in two ways - the mackerel seared and turned into a tartare, the beetroot pickled and its juice reduced. White chocolate and horseradish are added for further levels of creativity and the plating is truly stunning.

First published in 2015
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Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Mackerel fillets

Crumb mixture

  • 20g of caster sugar
  • 40g of plain flour
  • 40g of butter
  • 35g of milk powder
  • 15g of cornflour
  • sea salt

White chocolate

Mackerel tartare

Beetroot reduction

To plate

Equipment

  • Juicer

Method

1
Dice the beetroot into 1cm pieces
2
Bring the beetroot juice, balsamic vinegar, bay leaf, caster sugar and apple juice to the boil, adding the diced beetroot after the mixture starts boiling. Place in a covered container and leave to pickle in the refrigerator for approximately 24 hours
3
After the beetroot is done pickling, take a third of the pickling liquid and reduce by half in a saucepan. Reserve the reduction in the fridge, separate from the rest of the mixture
4
Preheat the oven to 120°C/Gas mark 1. Melt the butter and mix together with the milk powder, plain flour, cornflour, caster sugar and a pinch of sea salt. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Leave to cool
  • 40g of butter
  • 35g of milk powder
  • 40g of plain flour
  • 15g of cornflour
  • 20g of caster sugar
  • sea salt
5
Finely grate the fresh horseradish and mix together with the white chocolate and milk powder in a saucepan until the chocolate has melted
6
Fold in the crumb mixture. Place on a baking tray and leave to cool in the fridge
7
To make the mackerel tartare, finely chop the mackerel fillets and mix with the olive oil, lemon juice, finely chopped shallots and a pinch of salt and pepper. Leave for 5 minutes before serving
8
In a hot pan, sear the mackerel, skin-side down, in a little olive oil for 30 seconds to a minute, then turn and finish in the pan for another 30 seconds to a minute. The mackerel should be slightly undercooked and translucent in the centre
9
Quenelle the mackerel tartare
10
Smear the beetroot reduction onto each plate and place a mackerel fillet on top. Place the tartare on the side of the plate, scattering over the pickled beetroot chunks, the biscuit crumb and some wildflowers and a drizzle of olive oil

Welshman James Sommerin got his start in the kitchen as a child, baking under his mother and grandmother’s tutelage.

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