Within the walls of the family-run luxury hotel, The Isle of Eriska, is a fantastic Michelin-starred restaurant which has at its helm, head chef Paul Leonard.
Since joining Eriska last year, Paul has revelled in further developing the team, incorporating locally- sourced produce to create incredible flavours for the daily changing menus of the restaurant which is on the shortlist for two major food and drink awards this year.
Here, Paul shares with YL readers a trio of seafood dishes including one featuring Peterhead-landed John Dory, a favourite fish of his. Ask your fishmonger to fillet it for you to make this recipe even simpler.
PETERHEAD LANDED JOHN DORY, BABY LEEKS, YOUNG WILD GARLIC, BROWN SHRIMP
SERVES 4
4 fillets of John Dory (135g each), skinned
Rapeseed oil
12 baby leeks
20 young wild garlic leaves
Hebridean sea salt
1 banana shallot (finely chopped)
2tsp wholegrain mustard
4tsp white wine vinegar
300ml rapeseed oil
110g cooked brown shrimp
3tsp chopped chives
3tsp baby capers
Wash the leeks and wild garlic removing any sand or grit. Brush the leeks with rapeseed oil and season with sea salt. Heat a griddle pan over a high heat, add the leeks – after one minute, add the garlic. Cook for one minute until it has wilted down. Keep warm.
To make the wholegrain mustard dressing, put the shallot, mustard and vinegar in a bowl. Whisk together for one minute, then slowly add rapeseed oil, whisking until it is all incorporated. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Warm the dressing in a pan without letting it get too hot. Then add the shrimp, capers and chives. Keep warm.
Heat a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and add a little rapeseed oil. Season the fish with sea salt. Once the oil is hot, carefully add the fish to the pan skinned side up, cook for around two minutes until the underside turns dark golden. Carefully turn the fish over, take the pan off the heat. Residual heat will finish cooking the fish.
To serve, divide the warm leeks (they should still be warm) and wild garlic between four plates. Place the John Dory over the leeks and finish with the dressing. Service with warm, buttered new potatoes.
CURED SALMON, SPRING PEA SOUP AND CROWDIE
SERVES 4
1 piece of salmon around 800g (skin on)
150g sea salt
150g caster sugar
FOR THE PEA SOUP
1tbsp rapeseed oil
1 clove of garlic (minced)
Half an onion (finely diced)
200g Birds Eye frozen peas
300ml hot chicken stock
50ml double cream
30g cold butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
100g crowdie
GARNISH
4 breakfast radishes
Pea shoots
Cover your work surface with long strips of cling film. Place the salmon on top and cover with the sea salt and sugar mixture. Wrap the fish tightly in cling film and place in the fridge for 12 hours with a light weight on top (overnight is best). Wash the salmon to remove the salt rub, then slice it thinly ready for serving.
For the pea soup, heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sweat without colour for around three minutes. Add the frozen peas, chicken stock and butter and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for four minutes. Add the cream and blend using a food processor. Pass through a fine sieve and season with sea salt and fresh black pepper. Gently whisk the crowdie until it’s a smooth consistency.
To serve, divide the warm pea soup into four bowls and add the sliced cured salmon, a nice spoonful of the whipped crowdie and garnish with fresh pea shoots and sliced breakfast radish.
WEST COAST LANDED COD, MUSSELS, SALSA VERDI, BABY LEEK
SERVES 4
4 x 110g portions of cod (skinless)
FOR THE SALSA VERDI
20g flat parsley (freshly picked)
15g tarragon (freshly picked)
20g wild garlic leaves
10g parmesan (finely grated)
5g capers
1 gherkin
1tbsp rapeseed oil
1tsp lemon juice
Sea salt and pepper
FOR THE MUSSELS
500g fresh mussels in shells
100ml white wine
1 shallot (finely diced)
1 clove of garlic (made into a paste)
8 baby leeks
1 knob of butter
Take the cod portions from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking, as this will allow them to naturally come up to room temperature, giving you a better end result when cooking.
For the salsa Verdi, place all the washed and dried herbs in a food processor along with all the dry ingredients. Pulse this three times then add the remaining ingredients and blitz for 30 seconds until everything is incorporated. You should have a rough puree consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside at room temperature.
Carefully place the mussels into a sink full of cold water and discard any that stay open when tapped. Pull away their beards. Heat a large sauce pan with a small amount of oil and add the diced shallot and garlic. Add the mussels and white wine then cover with a lid and steam for three minutes. Lay the opened mussels on a tray until cool enough to handle. Take them out of the shell and place on kitchen paper to absorb any excess moisture. The stock is not needed for this dish but is good to keep in the freezer for a later date.
Heat a frying pan with a little rapeseed oil. Season the cod with sea salt and carefully place the fish in the pan. Cook on one side for two minutes and place in a pre-heated oven at 180°C for three minutes. Turn the fish, add a knob of butter and baste. Take out the pan and place on kitchen roll to rest for two minutes. Add the washed baby leeks and mussel meat to the pan of butter and cook for around one minute until warm.
To serve, place a piece of cod on each plate and divide the mussels equally. Add two leeks per plate and finish with a good helping of salsa verdi.
The Isle of Eriska is a luxury five-star resort located on its own 300-acre private island, just over 10 miles from Oban. The hotel has a Michelin-starred restaurant, its own nine-hole golf course and has a re-launched spa with a new Deck Restaurant.