Mackerel Caeser with smoked carrots

Instructions

1. Step 1

   Begin by lighting a barbecue for the carrots. Once hot, place the carrots straight onto the hot coals. If your barbecue has a lid, close it. Turn the carrots periodically, you want blackened skins with a soft inside

2. Step 2

   As the carrots cook, brine the mackerel. Place the water and salt into a container large enough to hold both fish. Stir to dissolve the salt, then add the whole fish and place in the fridge to brine for 30 minutes

3. Step 3

   Next, make the caesar dressing. Use a pestle and mortar to grind the anchovies and garlic together into a paste. Finely grate the cheddar

4. Step 4

   Place the yolks in a bowl with the mustard and anchovy and garlic paste and whisk for a minute or so until thick and pale. Then slowly drizzle the oil in whilst continuously whisking to create an emulsion. If it looks like its splitting, add a dash of cold water and keep whisking to bring it back together

5. Step 5

   Whisk in the finely grated cheddar. Taste and season the dressing with lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper

6. Step 6

   After half an hour, remove the fish from the brine and use a sharp knife flat against the spine to remove the fillets. Then debone by making a v shaped cut down the centre of each fillet and the spine bones should come out in one piece

7. Step 7

   Skin the fillets and dice the flesh into a rough 1cm dice. Reserve in the fridge until ready to serve

8. Step 8

   Once the carrots are cooked and cool enough to handle, peel the blackened skins from the carrots – they should rub off quite easily if the carrots are still warm

9. Step 9

   Finely slice the carrots then season with pine vinegar, salt flakes and a touch of honey to sweeten. The amounts given are a rough guideline, so add the ingredients bit by bit tasting as you go until you are happy with the flavour

10. Step 10

    Now all the elements are ready you can assemble. In a mixing bowl, add the diced mackerel, chopped chives, a good glug of smoked rapeseed oil, a good splash of pear vinegar and sea salt flakes. Again, the quantities given are only rough as the freshly caught fish can taste different from day to day. What you are looking for is a smoky, lightly tangy and well seasoned tartare

11. Step 11

    Spoon the mackerel into each bowl and drizzle with some caesar dressing. Top with the sliced carrots and finish with coriander leaves and coriander flowers