Get Premium access to all the latest content online
Subscribe and view full print editions online... Subscribe
Peppered mackerel with pea pancakes and sugar snap salad
Serves 4-6 Starters and mains
Ingredients
- 200ml crème fraîche
- 3 heaped tbsp dill, finely chopped
- 1-2tsp raw mild honey
- 1tsp Dijon mustard
- 1tbsp lemon juice
For the pancakes
- 300g frozen or fresh peas
- a small handful of mint leaves
- 3 spring onions, chopped
- 50g buckwheat or plain flour
- 2 eggs
- 3-4tbsp groundnut oil
- 1-2tbsp almond or cow’s milk (optional)
For the salad
- 200g sugar snap peas, mangetout or French beans
- 3 spring onions, cut into 3cm diagonal slices
- 200g baby courgettes, shaved into ribbons
- 2 Little Gem lettuces
- a handful of pink radishes, finely sliced
- a small bunch of dill, torn into small fronds
- a handful of mint leaves
- 4tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1tbsp lemon juice
For the fish
- 3 peppered smoked mackerel or 200g smoked salmon or trout
Method
The dill crème fraîche needs to develop over a few hours so try to make it in advance, at least 3 hours is good. It keeps for up to 4 days in the fridge.
First make the dill crème fraîche by mixing the ingredients together. Taste, and adjust the seasoning as necessary. Decant into a bowl and set aside in the fridge.
To make the pancakes, cook the peas until just tender. This will take 3-4 minutes from frozen or up to 15 minutes if fresh. Drain and pour into ice-cold water to cool them down quickly. When cool, drain and pour into a food processor with the remaining pancake ingredients, apart from the milk. Whizz until smooth and add 1-2tbsp of milk, if necessary (you may not need any), until you have a dropping consistency. Set aside while you make the salad.
Boil the sugar snap peas until just tender, about 3 minutes. Drain and put into ice-cold water to cool, keep their colour and stop the cooking. Toss the remaining salad ingredients in a bowl, season to taste and set aside.
To cook the pancakes, heat a little oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Add a dollop of pea batter and let it spread a little. The pancakes can be small like blinis or larger like drop scones, as you wish. Fry for a couple of minutes on either side, flipping them over halfway through cooking. They should be browned on both sides and cooked through. Taste the first one to check the seasoning before cooking any more. Repeat to use up all the batter to make about 20 blini-size pancakes. The pancakes can be served at room temperature or kept warm in a very low oven.
Assemble the salad on a large platter or wooden board with the pancakes, bowl of crème fraîche, fish broken up a little and put into a pile.
For a vegetarian option use 200g crumbled feta cheese instead of the fish.
Advertisement