SMOKED EEL MACARONI, PICKLED CHICORY, ARTICHOKE AND ALMOND SAUCE BY ADAM REID
This is a visually appealing dish, packed with lovely, strong flavours, and is intended as a ‘small plate’.
The eel is served two ways.
Firstly, as macaroni, which is filled with a delicious mix of smoked eel and tarragon. Secondly, slices of fresh eel are glazed in miso and charred to give them a beautiful colour and smoky flavour. A similar method is used to char quarters of artichoke, whilst strips of red and white chicory provide colour and crunch.
The sauce is let-down almond mayonnaise which has been whizzed up to give a light consistency.
1.Plate selection
This dish is served on a flat, blue plate. The colour sets off the bland colours and gives them more depth. I’m not a fan of shiny white porcelain!
2.Sauce
The almond mayonnaise is spooned onto the centre of the plate in a relaxed swirl.
3.Eel
Next, sit two pieces of eel macaroni at different angles opposite each other on the plate. I use two of everything to make the dish symmetrical but place them at different angles so they don’t look too uniform. The two pieces of charred miso eel are added in the same way.
4.Artichoke
The final ‘main’ element is the charred artichoke quarters. I want them to look like they have been scattered on the plate but within the circle created by the sauce.
5.Chicory
The gaps between the three main elements are then filled with the strips compressed red and white chicory, again made to look like they have been ‘chucked’ on.
6.Garnish
For the final touches, I add a few borage shoots (which taste like oysters and sea water) and top with a sprinkling of grated Parmesan.
