MasterChef Ireland 2011 finalist Mike Curran makes sea bream, anchovies and mackerel into tapas dishes
Ingredients
- silver pickled anchovies on a tomato & chorizo stew:
- 3 fillets of pickled & oiled silver anchovies
- 1 small piece of chorizo
- 0.5 clove garlic
- 1 shallot
- salt & pepper
- olive oil
- 1 slice of brown rustic bread
- 4 cherry tomatoes
- 100 ml passata
- pinch of parsley
- small pinch of mix baby lettuce leaves
- pan fried seabream on a guacamole salsa:
- 1 seabream fillet (cut into square piece of 5cm x 5cm)
- 1 lime
- 1 very ripe avocado
- 1 shallot
- 1 red chilli
- handful of baby water cress
- 0.5 tomato (deseeded, deskinned and cut into small pieces)
- salt & pepper
- olive oil
- butter
- devilled mackerel with tzatziki:
- 1 sheet filo pastry
- 1 fillet mackerel
- 100 ml thick greek yogurt
- 1 sprig of wild garlic leaves
- 1 small piece cucumber
- pinch smoked paprika
- pinch cayenne pepper
- 1 juice of fresh squeezed orange
- salt & pepper
- olive oil
- mixture of baby edible flowers for decoration
Method
- Using the cutter, press a circular disc form the slice of brown sliced pan, season & pan fry in some olive oil to crisp & brown both sides.
- Drain and set aside to keep warm and dry.
- Cut micro thin strip of the chorizo, garlic & shallot and begin to fry gently in a saucepan with olive oil.
- When softened add the cherry tomatoes quartered and the passata.
- Allow to cook and reduce down, seasoning to taste.
- When cooked set aside to keep warm.
- Trim the 3 anchovy fillets to tidy.
- When ready to serve place the disc of crisp bread on the left side of the plate.
- Using the cutter place the tomato stew on top, followed by the mixed leaves a drizzle of olive oil and then place the anchovy fillets on top, crossing each other.
Method
- Place the piece of filo pastry inside the cutter to create a basket.
- Cook in the oven at 180°C until golden brown. In a mixing bowl add the greek yogurt, salt, pepper, cucumber & chopped wild garlic leaves – fold together and allow to infuse.
- With the mackerel fillet, score the skin side in 3 places. Rub the skin side gently with a pinch of smoked paprika, cayenne pepper olive oil and a tbsp orange juice.
- Sear the mackerel in a frying pan skin side down until it starts to crisp. Turn it over, add some orange juice and remove from the heat.
- When ready to serve, place the tzatziki into the pastry basket and place to the left of the plate, then place the mackerel on top.
- Sprinkle the plate with colorful edible flowers and serve.
Method
- Cut open the ripe avocado and scoop out the insides into a mixing bowl with lime juice.
- Mix thoroughly with a whisk to achieve a smooth consistency. Season with salt, pepper and more lime juice.
- Add finely chopped shallot, red chilli then fold in the tomato and cress.
- Heat the frying pan, add olive oil and fry the seasoned seabream skin side down until it becomes crispy.
- Add some butter to the pan, spoon over, then turn the dish for a couple of seconds, remove and prepare to serve.
- When ready to serve, use the cutter to shape a mound of guacamole in the centre of the plate, remove and place the seabream on top.
Notes
Stock imagery used from Thinkstock
