Seasonal Recipe of the week – Grilled mackerel, gooseberry salsa with cucumber & celery salad, by Mickael Weiss
Ingredients
(Serves four)
2tbs caster sugar
2tbs white balsamic vinegar
300g gooseberries, cleaned and cut into quarters
250ml lime juice and zest
1 lime segment
4 small shallots, peeled and finely chopped
2 heaped tbs of shredded flat-leaf parsley
2 heaped tbs of chopped chives
Cucumber
Celery
Baby leaves or pea shoots
4 mackerel fillets
Lemon juice
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and pepper
Method
Place the sugar and vinegar in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add the gooseberries, season with salt and pepper and remove from the heat - this will soften them without cooking.
Once they are cool add the shallots, lime juice and zest, lime segment, parsley and chives, and place in the fridge for a minimum of three hours.
Using a peeler, make some cucumber and celery strips. Place them in iced water for a few minutes, drain and add to some mixed baby leaves or pea shoots.
Grill the mackerel fillets.
Season your salad with lemon juice and olive oil. Place the mackerel on top of the salad, then add the gooseberry salsa.
Mickael Weiss, head chef, Coq d'Argent, London
RECOMMENDED WINE
The obvious solution is a Sauvignon Blanc but there are so many to choose from. I've plumped for Guy Porter's exquisite and refined Block 8 Sauvignon Blanc, farmed at Bellbird Springs, 40km north west of New Zealand's capital, Christchurch.
This has none of the herbaceous, ‘green' character that is found in more commercial bottlings. Guy has managed to craft a Sauvignon in the style of the great Sancerres of François Cotat with wonderful subtlety and yet great complexity. It's a sure winner served with great British mackerel.
Richard Rotti, group wine buyer, Caprice Holdings
