This fresh Nordic salad serves 4 as a starter or makes a great lunch with the addition of fresh celeriac remoulade and buttered rye bread. Most of the preparation can be done in advance, then quickly assembled to serve.
Lemon emulsion ingredients:
125ml light olive oil
250ml water
Juice of 3 lemons
5g xanthum gum
Pinch of salt, pinch of sugar
Salad ingredients:
4 slices good quality rye bread
1 tablespoon light olive oil
200g smoked eel fillets, sliced on an angle into 1-inch pieces
8-12 medium-sized new potatoes, cooked and cooled
Extra oil for drizzling
Salt and pepper
1 granny smith apple
Juice of 1 lime
Fresh horseradish root for grating
Watercress and herb oil for garnishing (optional)
Method:
For the lemon emulsion, place all of the ingredients in a food processor and blend thoroughly. Over a clean bowl, pass the mixture through a fine sieve and set aside. This can be done ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. The recipe will make more than you need so you can keep it for other dishes.
Preheat the oven to 160°c
To make the rye crumb, in a food processor, blitz the 4 slices of rye bread to a fine crumb. Mix with the tablespoon of olive oil and bake on a tray in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, shaking the tray every 10 minutes. Set aside and allow to cool.
Wash the green apple and slice around a third of it into very thin matchsticks. Place in a bowl with the lime juice to prevent colouring.
Use a baking tray that fits under your grill. Slice the cooked potatoes into rounds about half a centimetre thick. Select the neatest whole slices and in a single layer, place on one side of the tray. Drizzle with a little oil and season with salt and pepper. On the other side of the tray, in one layer, place the sliced smoked eel.
Preheat the grill to high (you could use a kitchen blow torch instead if you have one). Grill the potatoes and eel until they start to take on a little colour and caramelise. Remove from the grill and assemble the salad.
Start by putting 3 dots of the lemon emulsion (about half a teaspoon for each dot) on to each of the 4 plates. Top with alternating slices of eel and potato. Drain the apple matchsticks and scatter over the top. Sprinkle over the rye crumbs. Finely grate some fresh horseradish root over each plate and garnish with watercress and herb oil if using.