Gratin of Smoked Mackerel and Turnip with Spiced Pickled Cuc

• porsi: Serves six

Bahan-bahan

400ml milk

200ml cream

3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

600g potatoes, peeled and sliced thinly (a mandolin would be perfect for this job)

½ turnip, peeled and sliced thinly

Salt and pepper

1 tbsp creamed horseradish

2 fillets smoked mackerel, skin and bones removed, flaked

100g grated Cheddar cheese

For the spiced pickled cucumber:

100ml rice wine vinegar (white wine vinegar can substitute)

100ml water

100ml caster sugar

1cm piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped

1 cucumber, peeled, halved lengthways and thinly sliced

1 medium leek, trimmed, split lengthways, washed and sliced

50g butter

3 large potatoes, peeled and diced into 2cm chunks

800ml chicken stock (use veg stock if you wish)

1 fresh bay leaf – lightly crushed, if you have it

250g mixed fish, ideally salmon, smoked haddock and one white fish

250ml cream

Salt and pepper

Some chopped chives or dill to finish

50ml apple juice

2 heaped tbsp crème fraiche

Salt and pepper

4 Little Gem lettuce, trimmed, washed and dried

1 breast smoked chicken, thinly sliced

16 seedless grapes, halved

80g Crozier Blue or another ripe blue cheese, crumbled

A good pinch of flaked almonds, toasted

Petunjuk

1 Preheat an oven to 180 degrees, or equivalent.

2 Place the milk, cream, crushed garlic, potatoes, turnip, salt and pepper into a large saucepan and slowly bring to the boil over a low heat. Stir a few times to make sure the potatoes are evenly coated with the milk/cream mixture.

Simmer for at least 20 minutes until the potatoes are just tender, taking care that the potatoes don’t stick to the bottom of the pan.

4 Stir in the horseradish.

5Turn half the potato mixture into a shallow oven-proof dish.

6 Scatter the smoked mackerel over the potatoes. Spoon the remaining mixture on top.

7 Sprinkle the grated Cheddar over the potatoes.

8 Bake for about 35-40 minutes, until golden and bubbling.

For the pickled cucumber:

1 Bring the vinegar, water, sugar and ginger to the boil.

2 Allow to cool.

3 Add the cucumber and keep in a sealed jar in the fridge until needed

4 This will keep for up to a week. I use the liquid as the basis for a salad dressing with a little hint of cream to thicken.