Serves 4
Ingredients:
For the ciabatta:
- 1 loaf of sliced ciabatta
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp chopped chives
- 1 bulb of roasted garlic
- Pinch of sea salt
For the beetroot:
- 1 beetroot, finely julienned
- 75ml cider vinegar
- 75ml boiling water
- 1-2 tbsp caster sugar
- 1 tsp yellow and black mustard seeds
- 1 tbsp chopped dill
For the potato salad:
- 150g salad potatoes, finely sliced and boiled
- 1 tbsp mayonnaise
- 50g samphire – pickled in cider vinegar and sugar
- 1 tbsp finely chopped gherkins
- 1 tbsp finely chopped mint
- Pinch of salt and cracked black pepper
- 1 tsp lemon zest
To garnish:
- 100g baby watercress
- 100g smoked mussels
- Zest and juice of a lemon
Method:
- Preheat your grill and toss your sliced ciabatta in a bowl with oil, finely chopped chives and plenty of seasoning. Grill for 3-4 mins on each side until crispy and golden.
- Dress the platter with watercress, lemon and smoked mussels.
- For the beets: slice very thinly and cover with a hot pickling solution. Make this by dissolving sugar in a pan with vinegar, mustard seeds, dill and hot water. Allow the pickled beets to cool to room temperature for 10-15 mins and then drain out of the pickling liquor and serve.
- For the potato salad, toss the boiled potatoes with lightly pickled samphire, chopped gherkin, mint and mayo. Season to taste.
- Top the ciabatta with pickled beetroot on half of them and potato salad on the remainder. Add salmon to accompany the potato and mackerel to pair with the beetroot.
- Serve this starter at room temperature and garnish with some sprigs of dill and lemon on the side.
