Smoked Eel Mousse With Fig

Smoked Eel Mousse with Fig

Serves 6 (starter)

This recipe is from Fish Society member Ian Williams. His presentation is as exciting as the recipe (but Ian, you need to work on your photography!)

Ingredients

• 1 thick smoked eel fillet
• 3½oz (100g) mascarpone
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp natural Greek yoghurt
• 1 tbsp chopped chives
• pinch cayenne
• pinch ground nutmeg

       To serve

• 6 thin slices ciabatta
• olive oil for brushing
• 6 ripe figs
• 6 sprigs fresh dill
• Balsamic syrup

Method

1. Roughly flake the eel and place in the small bowl of a food processor; blend until smooth. Add mascarpone and lemon juice and blend well. Remove to a small bowl and carefully fold in yoghurt, chives and seasoning.
2. Cover and chill for at least four hours – or overnight – to allow the flavours to develop.
3. Later... Use a pastry cutter to cut the ciabatta slices into neat rounds; brush both sides with olive oil and toast in a hot dry frying pan until beginning to char (about one minute). Set aside.
4. Remove the hard stalks from the figs and cut into thin slices.
5. Decorate each of six serving plates with a squiggle of balsamic syrup. Place a toasted ciabatta slice on each plate and use two dessert spoons to form quenelles of the mousse to sit on the ciabatta slices. Arrange the figs, decorate each quenelle with a sprig of dill and serve.