SKATE WITH LIME PICKLE BROWN BUTTER

INGREDIENTS

(SERVES 2)

2 skate wings

75g unsalted butter 1tbsp rapeseed oil 1tbsp (heaped) lime pickle, pounded with a pestle and mortar until smooth Juice of 1 lemon 2tbsp finely chopped coriander

Sea salt and black pepper For the tempura samphire: 2 sheets of toasted nori 80g plain flour

1tbsp (heaped) cornflour, plus some extra for dredging

200g samphire Ice-cold sparking water Groundnut oil, for deep-frying

METHOD:

1. Preheat the oven to 110°C/Fan 90°C/ Gas Mark 1/4.

2. Rinse the skate wings and dry thoroughly with kitchen paper, then season with salt and pepper. Melt 25g of the butter and the rapeseed oil in a large frying pan. When the butter is sizzling, add the skate wings, fleshier side down, and fry for five minutes until the flesh is opaque and the skin is golden brown. Gently flip over and cook on the less-fleshy side for three minutes. Transfer to a baking tray and keep warm in the oven.

3. Wipe out the frying pan, add the remaining butter and melt over high heat. When it starts to go brown, quickly stir in the lime pickle and follow with the lemon juice. Take off the heat and stir through the coriander.

4. For the tempura samphire, using scissors, cut the nori into pieces and blitz to a powder in a blender or spice mill. Tip into a large bowl, add both flours and mix well. Gradually whisk in just enough sparkling water to make a thin batter, being careful not to over mix.

5. Fill a large, heavy-based saucepan a third full with the deep-frying oil. Heat the oil to 180°C – if you don’t have a thermometer, you will know the oil is ready when a cube of bread turns golden brown in 20 seconds. Working in batches, dredge the samphire in cornflour, then dip in the batter and deep-fry in the hot oil for about three minutes or until crisp and golden, allowing the oil to return to temperature between batches. Drain on kitchen paper.

6. Put the fish onto serving plates and spoon over the lime pickle brown butter. Serve with the tempura samphire.