Family friendly

Smoked eel in pancetta with beetroot salad

Name: Smoked eel in pancetta with beetroot salad
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 80 min
Total time: 100 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 2 tbs unsalted butter; 10 eschalots (150g), thinly sliced; 20 large, paper-thin slices flat pancetta; 1 smoked eel (thick is best), skin removed (peel from the tail end), de-boned, to give 2 fillets; 10 baby beetroot, scrubbed, trimmed (2-3cm stems left intact); 1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar; 1 tbs red wine vinegar; 2 tsp freshly grated horseradish; 1/2 cup creme fraiche or sour cream; Micro herbs & edible flowers, to garnish; 2 beetroot; 2 tbs creme fraiche; 1 tsp wholegrain mustard; 1 tbs lemon juice; 2 eschalots, finely chopped; 1 tsp baby capers, rinsed, drained; 1 dill pickle, finely chopped

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1h 20m

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by Alla Wolf-Tasker

Chef and delicious. Produce Awards judge

Oct 03, 2015

Smoked eel combined with the salty pancetta sitting atop the sweet beetroot salad nails the summer salad menu.

2 tbs unsalted butter
10 eschalots (150g), thinly sliced
20 large, paper-thin slices flat pancetta
1 smoked eel (thick is best), skin removed (peel from the tail end), de-boned, to give 2 fillets
10 baby beetroot, scrubbed, trimmed (2-3cm stems left intact)
1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar
1 tbs red wine vinegar
2 tsp freshly grated horseradish
1/2 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
Micro herbs & edible flowers, to garnish

Beetroot remoulade

2 beetroot
2 tbs creme fraiche
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
1 tbs lemon juice
2 eschalots, finely chopped
1 tsp baby capers, rinsed, drained
1 dill pickle, finely chopped

Method

1.

Melt butter in a pan over low heat. Cook eschalot, stirring, for 7-8 minutes until soft but not coloured. Season, then cool.
2.

Place a large piece of plastic wrap on a work surface and top with 10 overlapping pancetta slices. Trim ends of eel fillets, then cut each in half to give four 20cm portions. Lay 1 piece coloured-side down on pancetta and sprinkle with half the eschalot. Top with another piece of eel, enclose in pancetta and plastic wrap to make a tight cylinder. Repeat with remaining pancetta, eel and eschalot. Freeze for 2 hours to firm up.
3.

Heat a lightly oiled pan over high heat. Remove wrap from eel, then sear for 2-3 minutes until light golden all over. Cool, re-wrap in 3 layers of plastic wrap, then chill for at least 2 hours.
4.

Meanwhile, for remoulade, preheat oven to 180°C. Wrap beetroot in foil and roast for 30-35 minutes until tender. Cool, peel, then cut into matchsticks. Combine with remaining ingredients. Chill until needed.
5.

Place baby beetroot in a pan with sugar, vinegar and enough water to cover. Cover surface with a round of baking paper and simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes until tender. Remove beets (reserving juices), cool, peel, halve and set aside.
6.

Return juices to medium heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes until syrupy.
7.

Mix the horseradish with creme fraiche, season to taste, then set aside.
8.

Preheat oven to 160°C. Slice eel in 2cm rounds and warm in oven for 3 minutes. Paint a streak of beetroot syrup on each plate, top with remoulade, beetroot and eel, then garnish with herbs and flowers.