A Long and Messy Business. Rowley Leigh

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СКАЧАТЬ cut into thick

      ribbons

      150g (5½oz) canned chopped

      tomatoes

      2 handfuls of fresh peas

      a generous pinch of golden

      caster sugar

      4 eggs

      vinegar, for cooking the eggs

      (optional)

      4 thick slices of bread,

      toasted

      salt and black pepper

      grated Parmesan cheese,

      to serve (optional)

      82

      Freezer Geezer

      Raw Tuna with Citrus Dressing

      The Food Standards Agency has decided to act on the

      recommendations of their European overlords and

      implement Regulation (EC) No 853/2004, which states

      that ‘all fish to be consumed raw or almost raw are to be

      subjected to freezing to kill parasites’. On the face of it,

      this is rather annoying, mainly because we managed

      perfectly well without any such legislation before. Raw

      fish and, by extension, raw meat such as steak tartare have

      long been a healthy and harmless part of our diet.

      Secretly, however, and exceptionally, I am rather

      grateful for this ‘nanny knows best’ ruling. At home, I quite

      often eat slices of raw mackerel with wasabi and soy sauce.

      In my restaurants I have served raw tuna, scallops, salmon,

      mackerel, sea bass and goodness knows what else for

      decades. I have, of course, always been very careful. I have

      always used fish of the most pristine freshness and been

      extremely zealous in my habits of hygiene. Such habits

      have stood the test of time but they have been

      inconvenient. I never used to make any raw fish an à la

      carte item as I could never guarantee the supply.

      Furthermore, any tuna that I did not sell on the first day

      I felt obliged to serve cooked, never – or at least not for

      twenty years – my preferred option.

      Now I am obliged to freeze my fish. Some restaurants

      defy the law and I say good luck to them but I, for once,

      have knuckled under. I do so because my Japanese

      wholesaler now sells me frozen blocks of yellowfin tuna

      that I have found remarkably resistant to any ill effect from

      the freezer and which I can defrost in an hour. There are

      some fish – cod or sea bass, for example – that I would

      not like to freeze, but rich, oily tuna seems completely

      unimpaired by the process. If anything, it seems firmer

      and ‘cleaner’ and actually benefits from the experience.

      I should emphasise that we do not keep our tuna in

      the freezer for long, and I would discourage anyone from

      thinking a piece of fish can be dragged out of the freezer,

      defrosted and eaten raw unless it is of impeccable

      pedigree. It does mean, however, that a fine piece of

      tuna, salmon or mackerel can be frozen – well wrapped

      in clingfilm and put in a freezer bag, ideally – and taken

      out a few days later. Suddenly, regulation No 853/2004

      seems to be a boon rather than a hindrance.

      85

      March

      RAW TUNA WITH CITRUS DRESSING

      Serves six.

      2 oranges

      1 Seville orange

      1 lemon

      a pinch of chilli flakes

      1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

      75ml (2½fl oz) olive oil

      400–500g (14oz–1lb 2oz)

      sashimi-quality raw tuna

      sea salt and black pepper

      A variety of citrus fruit can be used, including limes and

      grapefruit, just so long as a good balance of sweet and sour

      is achieved.

      Cut across the tops and bases of the fruit, place them on a

      board and cut away the skin and pith as though removing

      the staves of a barrel. Remove the segments of the fruit

      from between the pithy walls and pick out any pips.

      Season with the chilli flakes, plenty of sea salt and freshly

      ground black pepper and whisk vigorously to break up

      the fruit before adding the balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

      Cut the tuna into thin (penny-thick) slices and place

      them on very cold plates. Spoon over the dressing and

      serve immediately.

      VARIATION: GINGER DRESSING

      1 tablespoon finely chopped

      garlic

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