Читать книгу A Long and Messy Business - Rowley Leigh - Страница 35

SMOKED HADDOCK TARTARE

Large, pale fillets of natural haddock are best for this

recipe. In the 1980s, undyed haddock was a rarity, but it is

now commonplace in supermarkets. The herbs are deployed

with some abandon: when I specify a bunch, I mean enough

to produce a good couple of tablespoons of chopped herb.

Remove the skin from the haddock. This is best done with

a long, sharp carving knife: lay the fillet down flat on a

board with the tail on the left (if you are right-handed) and,

holding the knife firmly at a very slight angle against the

skin, pull the tail away from the flesh. Pull out the few pin

bones with tweezers or pliers, then rinse the fillet briefly

in cold water. Now carve the fillet in very thin, long slices,

cutting towards the tail. Lay these slices on a large platter,

or individual plates, close together without overlapping.

Pick the herbs, discarding the larger, coarser stalks and

chop them – the chives very finely but the others not so

fine as to bruise them and destroy the aromatics. Mix the

herbs, pepper, lemon juice and oil together in a bowl. Coat

the fish fillets with this marinade, making sure they are

completely covered. Although I rather like it as it is, the

fish will be still be raw: after 30 minutes the lemon juice

will have ‘cooked’ the fish, and this will probably be more

acceptable to most diners.

Serve with thin toast or bread.

Serves six to eight.

3 large undyed smoked

haddock fillets, about

600g (1lb 5oz)

1 bunch of chervil

1 bunch of chives

1 bunch of dill

a few sprigs of tarragon

2 teaspoons coarsely ground

black pepper

juice of 3 lemons

3 tablespoons sunflower oil

WINE: This has to be Riesling: delicate and smoky, the

racy pleasures of a Mosel Kabinett are perfectly suited.

A little residual sugar will soften the lemon juice. If you

really cannot bear this sweetness, you’ll have to head over

to Alsace or down to the Clare valley.

53

February