Sardine rillettes with whisky and cauliflower cream

Serves 4 Starters and mains

Rillette De Sardine 2

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Ingredients

  • 6 large canned sardines
  • 100g salted butter
  • 2 tbsp whisky
  • 30ml double or whipping cream

For the cauliflower cream

  • 200g cauliflower
  • 85ml double cream

For the Melba toast

  • 6 slices white bread
  • 50g clarified butter

For the vinaigrette

  • splash of sherry vinegar
  • 3tbsp olive oil
  • sprig coriander

Method

If you prefer, you can buy fresh sardines for the rillettes and get the fishmonger to fillet them. Fry the fillets in olive oil for a few minutes and leave to cool, then follow the recipe as below.

Lightly crush the drained sardines with a fork. Blend them in a blender or food processor with the softened salted butter and the whisky, then press through a sieve. Whip the cream and delicately fold it through the sardine mixture.

To make the cauliflower cream, reserve a few of the cauliflower florets and chop them finely. Cook the rest of the cauliflower in salted boiling water until tender; drain. Blend until smooth, then add half of the cream. Whip the remaining
cream until stiff and gently fold into the cauliflower purée.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4. For the Melba toast, use a small glass to cut out 12 circles from the bread slices. Brush with butter, then bake for 5 minutes, until golden.

At the very last minute before serving, arrange alternate layers of Melba toast, cauliflower cream and rillettes in a stack. Finish each stack with a slice of Melba toast. Mix the reserved chopped cauliflower florets with the vinaigrette (made by whisking together the vinegar and olive oil) and the coriander, then divide this among the top slices of Melba toast. Season.

Recipes and photographs taken from Scook: The complete cookery course by Anne-Sophie Pic. Photography by Michael Roulier (Jacqui Small, £40).
Rillette De Sardine 2
Recipes and photographs taken from Scook: The complete cookery course by Anne-Sophie Pic. Photography by Michael Roulier (Jacqui Small, £40).

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