Cold Sauces for Fish

Cold Sauces for Fish

Most cold fish sauces use a fresh mayonnaise base so we will first discuss how to make fresh mayonnaise before discussing what to add to make it a tartare or an cocktail sauce.

Mayonnaise

2 egg yolks ( room temperature )

1 teaspoon of mustard seed (finely ground)

1 teaspoon of raw sugar

1 tablespoon  lemon juice

1 pinch of ground white pepper

200 ml olive oil

1 teaspoon of boiling water

I always dampen a tea towel and place the bowl on that to avoid slipping when hand batching the mayonnaise. Electric beaters are a much better prospect for mayo. Some chef’s would disagree, but hey, as you like it.

Dissolve the sugar in the lemon juice. Put yolks, mustard, salt and pepper into a bowl and whisk well with a wire whisk. ( or beaters ) add the lemon juice and sugar into the mixture, again whisking al the time. Start to add the oil slowly, I mean very slowly. I try and see how few drops I can get into the bowl, whisk, whisk, whisk, and whisk some more; do you think your finished whisking, whisk some more. Keep trickling in the oil and keep whisking. When the mayonnaise takes on the texture that you desire for your recipe add the boiling water and stir a bit more this will help to stabilise the mixture and then bung it straight into the fridge. Real mayonnaise will not keep. It is of the moment.  

The secret to making this recipe aioli is adding two crushed cloves of garlic with the egg yolks at the beginning of the recipe.

Tartare Sauce

1 teaspoon of finely chopped parsley

1 teaspoon of finely chopped onions

1 teaspoon of finely chopped capers

1 teaspoon of finely chopped spiced sweet gherkins

1 teaspoon of tarragon

1 cup of mayonnaise

Mix well and chill

Cocktail Sauce for Prawns

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup tomato sauce

a dash of grappa

a dash of Tabasco

a squeeze of lemon juice

2 pinches of crushed chillies or paprika

1 teaspoon of finely chopped sweet spiced gherkin

1 teaspoon of grated horseradish

Mix ingredients chill for 20 minutes then serve.

Garlic Prawn Sauce

1 cup of Mayonnaise

5 sautéed garlic cloves ( to pulp )

1 teaspoon of finely chopped parsley

1 teaspoon of fennel

This dish is a cold prawn dipping sauce not to be confused with the hot dish "Garlic Prawns"

Smash the cooked garlic up with the parley and fennel add the lemon juice and mix into the mayonnaise before serving. Great for cold fish appetisers.