Serves 2 as a starter or 4 as part of a selection of small plates
Prep time 45 minutes
Ingredients
4 mackerel fillets
1/2 bunch of dill
50g caster sugar
50g rock salt
4 juniper berries
Hickory smoking wood chips
For the caramelized walnuts
40g walnut halves
50g sugar
50ml water
For the compressed Peaches
2 peaches
75ml water
30ml white wine
50ml clear apple juice
Piece of ginger
Lemongrass stick
30g sugar
Lemon
Method
For the fish marinade, blend the salt, sugar, juniper berries and dill in a food processor. Cover the mackerel fillets in the marinade and leave to cure for 10 minutes. Wash the marinade off, pat dry and store in the fridge until required.
Place two handfuls of wood chips in a metal tin and place a wire rack about halfway down. Place the tin on gas hob at a low heat and lower the mackerel on to the wire rack. Cover with a lid that has been pierced several times so the smoker as an air inlet. Cook for 10 minutes, then turn off the heat and allow to cool.
For the caramelized walnuts
Dissolve the sugar in the water and bring to a soft boil, add the walnuts to the pan and as soon as the sugar mix hits 140°C, drain and place on baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper. Cook in a n oven set at 150 degrees for 5 – 10 minutes until they have a crisp outer coating.
For the compressed Peaches
Bring the water, white wine and apple juice to the boil adding the sugar and stir until dissolved. Add the ginger and lemongrass and allow to infuse. Chill and when ready to compress the peaches, adjust the taste with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Marinate the peach slices for a few hours in the syrup.
Pro tip: At the hotel we place the peaches in a vacuum bag with the syrup and vacuum so that the syrup is absorbed into the peaches making them translucent).
