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
