Le Grand Aioli
Anyone familiar with this Mediterranean dish, will know it is traditionally made
with cod, sometimes salted, but Pollack or hake, both sustainable members of
the cod family with similarly big, creamy flakes of fish, are good, marginally less
expensive alternatives. The whole fish is poached in a tasty broth - too good to
waste, and the basis for fish soup or risotto - served surrounded by young
seasonal Mediterranean vegetables, arranged attractively in clumps of colour,
interspersed with golden-yolked, hard-boiled eggs, maybe snails, and wedges of
lemon. A bowl of garlicky aioli goes with the fish and a bottle of olive oil, ideally
the same one used to make the aioli, seasons the vegetables.
It is very straightforward to make, with much of the preparation done in advance,
and suits being served hot or tepid, so ideal whatever the weather. This particular
version is made with a couple of British seaside ingredients - samphire and
winkles - both bought from my fishmonger. If you prefer, leave them out.
Method:
Begin by preparing the court-bouillon. Trim, scrape and chunk the carrots. Peel
and slice the onion, chop the celery and slice the lemon. Pile vegetables, lemon,
1 tsp salt, cloves, peppers and bay in a fish kettle, large pan or deep roasting tin
that can accommodate the fish. Bring to the boil then simmer for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile make the aioli. Ensure all the ingredients are at room temperature.
Peel and finely chop the garlic. Sprinkle with a little salt and crush to a smooth,
juicy paste. Beat the egg yolks smooth, stir in the garlic and gradually beat in the
oil in a thin stream, beating continuously, adding a little lemon juice and then
more oil until it is used up and the mayonnaise is thick and glossy.
Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Meanwhile, boil the eggs in a small pan of water for 9 minutes. Scoop out of the pan. Crack the shell all over. If using fresh winkles, wash in several changes of water then, using the egg water, add 2 tsp salt and boil for 2 minutes. Drain. Top and tail the beans. Trim the carrots. Trim the spring onions. Rinse the samphire. Scrape the potatoes. Add 2 tsp salt to the big pan of boiling water. Add the beans, return to boil and boil for 3 minutes. Scoop into a basin of ice-cold water. Drain. Boil the carrots for 3 minutes. Scoop into a colander to drain. Repeat with the spring onions and samphire, draining as before. Boil the potatoes until tender in the same water. Lift out and reserve. If serving the vegetables hot, keep the water hot, ready for re-heating the vegetables in the colander suspended over the water.
Bring the court-bouillon to the boil and slip in the fish. Return to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, cover with lid or foil, and leave for 30 minutes. Lift the fish onto a large, white platter that can hold fish and vegetables and peel away the exposed skin. Cover with foil to keep warm while you re-heat the vegetables. Arrange vegetables, winkles, peeled, halved eggs and lemon wedges around the fish, adding clumps of parsley. Serve with the bottle of oil, aioli, sea salt and a cork stuck with pins for winkling (behind their black trap door).
Serves 6-8
Prep: 40 min
Cook: 40 min
Ingredients
2kg, approx, cod, hake or Pollack,
head removed, trimmed and descaled.
8 large eggs
500g-1kg fresh or frozen winkles
400g fine green beans
24 young carrots
24 bulbous spring onions
400g samphire
1kg small new potatoes
for the court-boullion:
2 litres water
3 large carrots
1 large onion
2 celery sticks
4 cloves
6 black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
1 lemon
for the aioli:
3 large garlic cloves, preferably new season
3 large egg yolks
400ml decent olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
50g bunch flat leaf parsley
3 lemons
olive oil and Maldon sea salt to serve