Great British Chefs – challenge no. 2 – The Starter: Haddock Ballotine by Frances Atkins

Frances Atkins is one of six Michelin-starred female chefs in the UK and was ranked No.14 in The Times Top 100 Food List in 2010.  She is the head chef at the Yorke Arms in Yorkshire.
I must thank Fin & Flounder for the wonderful knife skills, fresh fish and prompt service.
Read about challenge no. 1  here
Smoked haddock ballotine with an artichoke vinaigrette, liquorice and pineapple relish
clearly I need to work on my presentation!
Cooking  time:  2 hours 30 minutes
Serves : 4
The ballotine here is made from very thinly sliced smoked haddock, rolled around a creamy scallop and potted shrimp mousseline
Main Ingredient
2 undyed smoked haddock fillets
Artichoke vinaigrette
Ingredients:
4 fresh globe artichokes
1½ lemons
1 tsp Yorkshire heather honey
1 tsp grain mustard
150ml olive oil
Scallop mousseline  
Ingredients
6 king scallops
salt
1 medium egg
145ml whipping cream
55g potted shrimps
Pineapple relish
Ingredients
2 large shallots
1 small golden pineapple
knob of butter
2 tbsp yellow mustard seeds
4 red chillies
110g caster sugar
1 tbsp verjuice
salt
Curried butter sauce
Ingredients
1 shallot
salt
pepper
250ml white wine
250ml chicken stock
30g cardamom pods
2 star anise
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 bunch of fresh thyme
cream to drizzle
Liquorice sauce
Ingredients:
 1 tbsp liquorice essence
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
METHOD      
Step 1 To make the pineapple relish, finely chop the shallots and dice the pineapple into small pieces. Sauté in the butter along with the mustard seeds
Ingredients   2 large shallots, 1 small golden pineapple, knob of butter, 2 tbsp yellow mustard seeds
Step 2 De-seed and finely slice the chillies and add along with the sugar to the relish mixture
Ingredients    4 red chillies, 110g caster sugar

 

Tip  :    The natural juices and sugars should caramelize and turn the pineapple into a luxurious sticky mass
Step 3 Add the verjuice for a hint of piquancy. Season generously with salt as the flavours will be less pronounced when served at room temperature
Ingredients    “1 tbsp verjuice, salt
eventually I found it at John Lewis Food Hall Oxford Street
Step 4 Cool the completed relish and transfer to a clean heatproof container or jar
Step 5 Clean the scallops and remove the roe. Place the scallops and salt in a food processor and blitz until puréed
Ingredients   6 king scallops, salt

 

Step 6 Separate the egg and add the egg white and cream, then fold in the shrimps
Ingredients   1 medium egg white, 145ml whipping cream, 55g potted shrimps
Step 7 Place in a clean container and store in the fridge until needed
Step 8 Take the fillets of haddock and slice them horizontally as thinly as possible
Ingredients    2 undyed smoked haddock fillets
Tip      The haddock should be as thin as smoked salmon
Step 9 Make a small rectangle with cling film and place a single layer of thinly sliced smoked haddock in the centre
Step 10  Spoon the scallop mousseline along the centre of the smoked haddock and wrap up in a sausage shape
Step 11  Twist the excess cling film at each end to make a cracker shape. Make sure the sausage (or ballotine if you wish to use the French name) is an even shape and that the ends are airtight
Step 12  Once all the ballotines are completed, put them into the refrigerator for 10 minutes to set
Step 13  Remove from the fridge and poach in boiling water for 10 minutes
Step 14   Prepare the artichokes by peeling, trimming, cutting the tops off and breaking off the woody end of the stalks
Ingredients    4 fresh globe artichokes
Step 15   Cook in water with the juice of 1 of the lemons for about 45 minutes to 1 hour
Ingredients    1 lemon
Step 16   Whilst the artichoke is cooking, make the vinaigrette dressing by mixing together the honey, mustard and olive oil in a jug
Ingredients   1 tsp Yorkshire heather honey, 1 tsp grain mustard, 150ml olive oil
Step 17   When the artichoke is cooked, discard the hairy core, which should come away easily, and coat the artichoke hearts in the vinaigrette
Step 18
To make the curried butter, chop the shallot and put in a pan with some salt and pepper. Add the wine and chicken stock and reduce by half
Ingredients    1 shallot, salt, pepper,
250ml white wine,
250ml chicken stock
Step 19   Grind the spices and herbs and pass through a sieve. Roast in a dry pan
30g cardamom pods,2 star anise,1 tsp fennel seeds, 1 bunch of fresh thyme
Step 20   Add the wine and chicken stock reduction to the pan, finish with the cream and reduce to a spooning consistency
Ingredients    cream to drizzle
Step 21  Heat the liquorice essence and balsamic vinegar and cook until the liquid has reduced by half
Ingredients    1 tbsp liquorice essence
Tip      It should be sticky with a pronounced flavour
Step 22   Heat the artichoke hearts in a small amount of vinaigrette until warm
Step 23  Remove the smoked haddock from the poaching water, take off the clingfilm and cut each ballotine into 3

Step 24   Place the haddock with an artichoke on each plate and add a little pineapple relish, light scrape of liquorice sauce  and finish with a little curried butter sauce

The feedback
Despite the tight timings given to test this recipe, over bank holiday weekend, with no time to internet shopping for two of the ingredients, I found almost everything, apart from the liquorice essence ( I used liquorice root when reducing the balsamic vinegar)  I don’t know if that makes  any difference as I haven’t tasted liquorice essence before. Also, the Verjuice, I couldn’t find it, even though apparently they sell at Waitrose/John Lewis food hall? Instead I used apple, lemon juice & white wine mixture to make up the piquancy.  It worked very well.
The pineapple relish is delicious, I think would be a good idea to add a note to keep an eye on it when cooking as it can caramelise too quickly and burn.  The same goes  to the balsamic and liquorice reduction. Also, my pineapple didn’t mash as much. To get the fish filleted thinly requires skills I don’t possess.  Instead, I asked the fishmonger (Fin & Flounder)
It’s a winner that requires a bit of cooking knowledge, attention to detail and certain organization prior start the cooking process. I need to work on my presentation!

 

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2 Comments

  1. Hanna @ Swedish Meatball
    July 17, 2011 / 5:35 pm

    Rosana wooa wooa wooa I loved reading this what a great project! Well done x

  2. August 2, 2011 / 12:43 am

    Hi Hanna, thanks it was fun. The app is very glossy and easy to use too.