Alan Halkett is head chef at Reivers Restaurant at The Cairndale in Dumfries, he shares the recipe for one of his most popular dishes.
Serves 4
Cod
4 Atlantic Cod fillets: pin bone the fish and pat dry the skin; pan roast in olive oil and butter until cooked.
Asparagus tips
12 asparagus tips trimmed and peeled. Blanch in salted water until tender, refresh under iced water. Before serving drizzle with olive oil and grill.
Baby potatoes
12 baby potatoes, peeled and blanched in salted water until tender. Refresh under iced water. Before serving, cut in half length-ways, drizzle with olive oil season with salt and pepper and grill.
Gem lettuce
2 small gem lettuce, outer leaves timed off. Trim the bottom but leave the core; cut in half length-ways. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Grill until starting to char.
Pickled fennel
1 bulb of fennel, sliced very thin using mandolin
Bring 300ml white wine vinegar and 100g caster sugar to the boil, remove from heat, add the sliced fennel, leave to cool.
Coriander oil
Blanch 200g coriander in boiling water for five seconds, refresh in iced water, drain and squeeze much water as possible, add 200ml olive oil and coriander to a blender and blitz until it bright green. Pass through a sieve.
Nori butter sauce
Bring 1 large, finely-diced shallot; 200ml white wine; 1 dessert spoon of white wine vinegar; ½ sheet nori seaweed crushed to a powder to the boil and reduce until almost all of the liquid is gone. Add 100ml double cream, bring back to boil and add 150g peas and 100g of cold, diced butter. Whisk in butter and remove from heat, add one dessert spoon of chopped chives.
To assemble the dish: Spoon the butter sauce onto warm plates. Place three potato halves and one gem lettuce half on top of the sauce. Carefully top with the cod and asparagus tips. Drain some pickled fennel and place on top of asparagus, garnish with pea shoots, and drizzle with coriander oil.
