4 mackerel (250/300)
5 mini fennels
20 cockles
5 razor clams
¼ l dry white wine
Olive oil, saffron and fleur du sel to taste
250g cherries (ripe and juicy)
1 shallot
1 garlic clove
1 bunch thyme
1 bunch rosemary
50g aniseed spirit (e.g. Pastis)
– Fillet the mackerel, remove any bones and keep chilled (2 fillets per person). In a hot pan with a drizzle of olive oil, place the fillets skin side down to sear and then cook for a further 2 minutes without turning over.
– Place the fillets skin side up on a grill over a dish and plate up the fennel strips that have been seasoned with a drizzle of olive oil, saffron and fleur du sel.
– Drizzle some olive oil into a casserole dish; when the oil is hot, throw in the cockles, add the white wine and cover immediately, cook for 2/3 mins then remove them, taking care to keep the cooking liquid. Remove from the shells, keeping the tongues.
Remove the tongues from the raw razor clams, then chop into sections about 0.5 cm long (you need 4 pieces per person).
– Wash and de-stone the cherries. Use a Blender to mix until smooth and syrupy. Filter through a muslin strainer and set aside.
– Cut the shallot into rings, peel the garlic clove and sweat together without browning in a frying pan with a drizzle of olive oil. Add the thyme, rosemary and anchovy heads. Brown slightly then deglaze the pan with the aniseed spirit. Reduce until dry, add the cherry juice, then bring to the boil and simmer for about 20 minutes. Press the sauce through a muslin strainer,
– Using a spoon, drizzle a line of the cherry sauce then place the mackerel on it at the last moment and serve immediately.
