Spiny warrior - John Dory, green tomato, greengage
- medium
- 6
- 2 hours
This John Dory recipe from Tom Aikens has layers of fresh flavours and textures: tart pickled green tomatoes, crunchy baby sweetcorn and creamy avocado purée. Although intricate as whole, each individual element is prepared simply so that their flavour shines through. This recipe will make more greengage and avocado purée than you will need.
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Tom Aikens makes his green tomato and greengage sauce with a vegetable nage, a light court bouillon traditionally used for poaching fish and seafood. However, vegetable stock can be used instead. His vegetable nage is made by covering a mixture of finely diced vegetables – celery, leek, carrot, fennel etc. – with cold water. Bring the mixture to a simmer with a few slices of lemon. Once at a simmer, remove from the heat and add some fresh herbs. Let infuse for a day and then strain.
Ingredients
Metric
Imperial
Greengage and yuzu purée
- 275g of greengage plums
- 15g of lemongrass, bashed
- 50g of yuzu juice
- 250g of water
- 10g of salt
- 50g of cane sugar
- 5.5g of agar agar
Pickled green tomato
- green tomatoes
- Chardonnay vinegar
Baby corn
- baby corn
- veg blanc
Green tomato and greengage sauce
- 100g of green tomatoes
- 100g of greengage plums
- 15g of spring onions
- 10g of cucumber
- 10g of jalapeños
- 5g of garlic cloves
- 3g of celery leaves
- 5g of coriander leaves
- 15g of baby spinach
- 8g of salt
- 6g of cane sugar
- 220g of vegetable nage, or light vegetable stock
Avocado purée
- 300g of avocado
- 0.5g of ascorbic acid
- 10g of lime juice
- 6g of salt
- 100g of crème fraîche
Sea veg
- sea vegetables, such as sea blite, sea purslane, rock samphire, salty fingers and sea arrowgrass
John Dory
- 1.5kg John Dory, filleted and skinned
- olive oil
- lemon juice
- salt
Garnish
- 3 greengage plums, cut into eight segments
Equipment
- Vacuum bag and machine
- Piping bags
- 7cm ring moulds
Method
Place all the ingredients for the greengage and yuzu purée except the agar in a pan and bring to the boil. Simmer for 5 minutes
- 275g of greengage plums
- 15g of lemongrass, bashed
- 50g of yuzu juice
- 250g of water
- 10g of salt
- 50g of cane sugar
Add the agar and whisk continuously for 1 minute
- 5.5g of agar agar
Place everything in a half gastro and allow to set completely
Once set, blend well in high-powered blender then pass and compress in a vac-pac machine to remove air bubbles
Slice the green tomatoes for the pickled green tomato using a mandolin very thinly, then cut into triangles. Compress in Chardonnay vinegar and set aside
- green tomatoes
- Chardonnay vinegar
Slice the baby corn into thin rounds and compress in some veg blanc
- baby corn
- veg blanc
Slice all the veg very thinly for the green tomato and greengage sauce, and then place everything in a high-powered blender and blend well for 30 seconds before passing through a fine mesh strainer
- 100g of green tomatoes
- 100g of greengage plums
- 15g of spring onions
- 10g of cucumber
- 10g of jalapeños
- 5g of garlic cloves
- 3g of celery leaves
- 5g of coriander leaves
- 15g of baby spinach
- 8g of salt
- 6g of cane sugar
- 220g of vegetable nage, or light vegetable stock
For the avocado purée, blend everything together until smooth and then transfer to a piping bag and set aside
- 300g of avocado
- 0.5g of ascorbic acid
- 10g of lime juice
- 6g of salt
- 100g of crème fraîche
Blanch the sea veg in in seasoned water for 10 seconds, then strain the leaves and chill in iced water for a minute until completely cold
- sea vegetables, such as sea blite, sea purslane, rock samphire, salty fingers and sea arrowgrass
Using a 7 cm circle cutter place 15 g of John Dory per person onto a sheet of parchment in a circle pattern
Once ready to serve, season the fish with olive oil, lemon juice and salt
- olive oil
- lemon juice
- salt
Pipe over some avocado purée, then some greengage purée
Add four slices of greengage per person, then the compressed baby corn, pickled green tomato and the sea herbs. Drizzle with more olive oil
- 3 greengage plums, cut into eight segments
Pour the sauce around the fish and vegetables, and then drizzle on some more olive oil to finish
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