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TORCHED MACKEREL WITH CHICORY MARMALADE AND TOASTED BARLEY SAUCE

Blowtorching is a simple but effective way of cooking fish; the flame comes into direct contact with the mackerel, giving it a smoky, charred flavour. Mackerel works really well with strong, slightly acidic flavours, so the bitter chicory and orange marmalade balanced with a touch of sugar is is the perfect partner. Barley is often limited to soups and risottos, but toasting the grains gives them a wonderful depth of flavour and nuttiness. In the past I have given rosemary a supporting role because I’ve felt there are other, more interesting herbs, but I’ve come to really appreciate its qualities and here its warm, peppery notes allow the flavours of the pine and nutmeg to develop.

SERVES 4, AS A STARTER

Toasted barley sauce

80g pearl barley, plus 25g cooked

375ml White Chicken Stock

4 sprigs of rosemary

125ml whole milk

1 soft-boiled egg (cooked for 4 minutes)

lemon juice, for seasoning

Torched mackerel

25g coriander seeds

25g fennel seeds

500g rock salt

250g caster sugar

zest of 1 lemon

4 fresh mackerel fillets, skin on

Chicory marmalade

1 tbsp sunflower oil

30g unsalted butter

600g chicory, thinly sliced

20g caster sugar

350ml orange juice

Maldon sea salt, for seasoning

land seaweed, to serve

Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C Fan/Gas Mark 6.

For the sauce, toast the 80g pearl barley on a baking tray in the oven for 35–40 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and leave to one side to cool. In a medium, heavy-based saucepan over a high heat, bring the chicken stock to the boil with the rosemary sprigs, then remove from the heat, add the toasted barley and allow to infuse for 1 hour.

Strain the barley from the stock and discard. Blitz the infused stock in a blender with the milk, egg and cooked barley until smooth, then pass through a fine sieve and season with lemon juice and salt.

For the mackerel, toast the coriander and fennel seeds in a dry non-stick frying pan over a medium heat for 4–5 minutes, then blitz them to a powder in a blender or grind them in a pestle and mortar. Combine the ground seeds in a bowl with the salt, sugar and lemon zest and mix well. Dust the mackerel fillets evenly on both sides with the salt mixture. Transfer to a plate and leave to cure in the fridge for 10 minutes. Rinse the fillets under cold running water and pat them dry with kitchen paper.

While the mackerel is curing, start the chicory marmalade. Preheat a medium heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat. Put the oil and butter in the saucepan with a pinch of salt, then add the chicory and sauté for 8–10 minutes until all the liquid has evaporated and the chicory is soft. Add the sugar and cook for a further 5 minutes to caramelise it, then add the orange juice, reduce the heat and reduce the liquid to a glaze.

Using a blowtorch, torch the skin side of the cured mackerel until lightly charred and smoky.

Spoon the warmed chicory marmalade on to the centre of each plate. Put the torched mackerel fillets on top and spoon the warmed sauce around. Finish with land seaweed and Maldon sea salt.