Tomato water with seabass, elderflower and oregano
This pretty starter recipe combines the delicate flavours of tomato, elderflower, oregano and fresh sea bass to create an aromatic and refreshing chilled broth. The elderflower vinegar takes 2-3 weeks to infuse, but the recipe makes a full bottle which will keep indefinitely and is a great way of preserving the hyper-seasonal ingredient long into the winter months. Use it in all sorts of salad dressings, seasonings and pickles.
Ingredients
Metric
Imperial
Tomato water
- 1kg large vine tomatoes
- 1 cucumber
- 6 large spring onions
- 1 handful of basil
- 2 pinches of sea salt flakes
Elderflower vinegar
- 50g of elderflower, stalks removed
- 50g of caster sugar
- 500ml of white wine vinegar
To serve
- 1 sea bass fillet, pin-boned and skinned
- 1/4 cucumber
- 1 handful of oregano leaves
- extra virgin olive oil
Equipment
- Blender
- Muslin cloth
Method
Begin by making the elderflower vinegar as it takes 2–3 weeks to infuse. Trim off any woody stalks from the elderflowers - they can taste quite sour. Pack 50g dry elderflowers heads into a sealable container with 50g sugar (or to taste) and 500ml white wine vinegar. Leave on a sunny windowsill for 2-3 weeks to infuse. Strain out the flowers and pour into a clean bottle and seal
- 500ml of white wine vinegar
- 50g of caster sugar
- 50g of elderflower, stalks removed
The tomato water takes 1–2 hours, but is best if left to strain overnight. Blitz the ingredients in a blender until coarsely chopped, then pour into a double-muslin-lined sieve over a bowl or jug. Place in the fridge and leave it to slowly drip through, this process enables you to capture a clarified liquid. Do not push the mixture or liquid through, let it drip through naturally. Leave in the fridge until ready to serve
- 1kg large vine tomatoes
- 1 cucumber
- 6 large spring onions
- 1 handful of basil
- 2 pinches of sea salt flakes
Peel and slice cucumber into cubes that are between 0.5cm - 1cm in size. Dice the sea bass to the same size and put both in a bowl
- 1 sea bass fillet, pin-boned and skinned
- 1/4 cucumber
Add some of the elderflower vinegar to season and gently mix to combine
Divide between the bowls and pour over the chilled tomato water. Finish with oregano leaves and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 handful of oregano leaves
- extra virgin olive oil
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