Hogmanay Feast 2023/4
Photo © Anne-Marie Minhall
Planning for the New Year's banquet in Fife started back in August.
**RobertRollsEyes**
In my defence, lists had to be made & some produce packed (Horseradish).
Here's how it works ..
I'm in charge of the starter. Another of us is looking after the main course whilst the third musketeer will be looking after the NY's Day sandwich with whatever is left over & so is carefully checking what is being prepared & cooked.
To begin ..
Smoked Mackerel with Beetroot & Red Onion Salad followed by ..
Ardross Sirloin from here: https://www.ardrossfarm.co.uk/farm-shop/
Fireworks by a harbour
Here we go for the last meal of the year ..
Photo © Anne-Marie Minhall
Serves: 4 or a hungry 3
500g bunch beetroots, trimmed, scrubbed clean and halved if large
1 Red Onion, thinly sliced
3g Sea Salt
2tsp Caster Sugar
50ml White Wine Vinegar
½tsp Cumin Seeds
½tsp Coriander Seeds
½tsp Fennel Seeds
3½tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Lemon, zest, plus extra wedges to serve
200ml Crème Fraîche
Fresh Horseradish thumb-sized amount peeled & grated
Handful mint leaves, roughly chopped
Handful dill, roughly chopped, plus extra to garnish
4 Smoked Mackerel Fillets (ours came from a local kiln: https://www.enkilnhouse.com
Put the beetroots in a large pan. Cover with water & boil for 45-50 minutes, or until soft – a knife should pierce them easily
Meanwhile, put the onion in a bowl with the salt, sugar & vinegar & mix well; set aside to marinate. Toast the cumin, coriander & fennel seeds in a small frying pan until fragrant, then crush in a pestle and mortar. Stir 1tbsp oil and the zest of ½ lemon into the crème fraîche; season
Drain the beetroots, then rub the skins off while still hot using clean rubber gloves. Dice into bite size cubes then toss with the pickled onions, crushed seeds and herbs, 2tbsp oil and the remaining zest of ½ lemon. Add the grated horseradish to the crème fraîche
Divide the salad between the plates, along with a little crème fraîche. Sit a mackerel fillet on top and serve with more crème fraîche, extra dill and lemon wedges to squeeze over
The mackerel was the best I'd ever tasted. The sharpness of the onions and sweetness of the beetroot matched the fish perfectly.
I think that this will work just as well in the summer as it did on a bitingly cold December night by the sea.
AMM
