Atlantic Cod fillet, Lobster Croquette & Miso Clams

1. Lemon Puree

  • 200g lemons peeled
  • 5g turmeric
  • 15g sugar for each blanch

Method:

• Place peeled lemon rind in a pan and just over with water

• Add turmeric and sugar, then blanch and refresh.

• Continue to blaunch 9 times.

• After last blanch blitz till smooth adding just water to blend easily (You want the puree to be thick)

• To finish add stock syrup and lemon juice before you serve

2. Lobster Croquettes

To begin, cook the lobsters. Bring the water to the boil in a large pan with the bay, lemon and tarragon. Kill the lobsters then drop them into the boiling water for 4 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 2 lobsters, each weighing 600–800g
  • 1 sprig of tarragon
  • 5l water
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 lemon, halved

Method:

• Remove lobsters from heat and cool (save cooking liquid for later)

• Once cool, remove meat and chop into chucks

• Prepare shells for roasting by crushing into small pieces (wrap shells in tea towel & bash with rolling pin to lightly crush)

• Sieve cooking liquid, reserve for later

Ingredients:

  • 100ml of olive oil
  • 250g of onion, diced
  • 150g of fennel, diced
  • 150g of leek, diced
  • 150g of celery, diced
  • 5 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 5g of fennel seeds
  • 5g of coriander seeds
  • 5g of star anise
  • 100g of tomato paste

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4

• Add the shells to a large roasting tin with the onion, fennel, leek, celery, garlic, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, star anise and olive oil.

• Roast for 15 minutes then stir in the tomato paste and roast for a further 10 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 1L white wine
  • 175ml of Pernod
  • 175ml of brandy
  • 400g of tinned plum tomatoes
  • 1 lemongrass stalk, bashed
  • 1 pinch of saffron

Method:

• Remove from the oven and deglaze the tray with the white wine, scraping the bottom to remove any residue.

• Transfer the mixture to a large pan and add brandy and Pernod. Cook out for 5 minutes, then add the reserved lobster cooking liquid, the tinned plum tomatoes, lemongrass and saffron

• Bring to boil, reduce to simmer and cook for 20 minutes

• Remove from heat, cool for 10 minutes

• Pass through sieve into clear pan

• Reduce and set aside

For the croquettes:

• Melt butter in pan on low heat

• Add shallots and cook until soft

• Turn up the temperature to medium, add flour and cook for a few minutes, stiring in the cayenne pepper & paprika

• Add reduced lobster stock and whisk until smooth but thick

• Spread on tray and chill in fridge until firm

• Sprinkle lobster meat and 50g of parsley over the surface and season, mix until combined

• Roll mixture into balls and place of tray, leaving space between each ball

• Transfer to fridge to firm

Ingredients:

  • 500g of Panko breadcrumbs
  • 500g of flour, for dusting
  • 4 eggs, whisked

Method:

• Once firm, coat balls in flour (dust off excess)

• Dip into whisked eggs then roll in breadcrumbs evenly

• Return to fridge to firm

• Preheat a deep pan of oil to 180°C and preheat oven to 180°C

• Deep-fry croquettes in batches till golden (approx. 3 minutes)

• Allow oil to come back to 180°C between batches

• Place on kitchen paper after frying then add to baking tray

• Cook in oven for two minutes

3. Pan Fried Cod

• Fry cod skin down in vegetable oil until skin in crispy,

• Add 50g of butter and base the fish for further 4 minutes

• Add a squeeze of lemon and Malden salt

4. Miso clams

Ingredients:

  • 500g of clams, fresh
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 piece of fresh ginger, thumb-sized
  • 1 tbsp of red miso
  • 1 tbsp of brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp of rice wine, preferably Shaoxing
  • 4 tbsp of water
  • 1 tbsp of groundnut oil

Method:

• Rinse clams and throw away cracked shells or those that don’t close when tapped

• Place in large basin or water for 30 minutes so clams can spit out sands

• Peel & finely chop garlic & ginger

• In bowl, stir miso, sugar, rice wine and water (set aside)

• Heat groundnut oil in wok

• Over medium heat, fry garlic & ginger

• Increase temperature, tip clams into wok

• Cover with lid allowing clams to cook

• Steam for 3-5 minutes, discard any that do not open

This week’s recipe is by Glenn Roach, Regional Executive Chef of the Surf & Turf restaurants situated in Macdonald Rusacks Hotel, St Andrews & Macdonald Holyrood Hotel, Edinburgh. The Surf & Turf concept will also be launching soon in the Macdonald Marine Hotel in North Berwick.