Great British Menu ™
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Smoked Sea Bass with Charred Leeks
Smoked Sea Bass with Charred Leeks, Lemongrass Oil, Sea Herbs, and Spiced Sauce
A theatrical fish course: sea bass cooked hard on one side over barbecue coals for maximum smoke and crisp skin, served on hot rocks. The fish sits on a bed of sea vegetables dressed in lemon juice with charred leeks and smoked almonds for texture. The sauce is a complex blend of black pepper, capers, homemade tomato sauce, smoked paprika, roasted garlic, Worcestershire sauce, homemade hot sauce, soft butter, Vadouvan, and English mustard. A lemongrass oil (bonito, ginger, garlic, fresh mint, lemongrass, lime zest) adds freshness. Finished with caviar for a salty pop. Served with sea herbs and calendula petals.
Aktar Islam scored this an 8. Aktar said: "Jack, for your dish. You went all out to celebrate Sir Ian McKellen and this epic moment in Lord of the Rings. The fish was cooked really well over the coals. The skin was lovely and crisp, but certain parts, it was just a bit too blackened. I thought your sauce was very powerful. It was too dominant with the fish. This dish has serious potential, but you need to show a bit of restraint in the sauce department." The storytelling and theatre were praised, but the sauce overpowered the fish.
FINALS JUDGING -- Changes: Removed caviar to reduce fat level. Reworked sauce to be less intense/powerful. Dried skin thoroughly for crisp result. Served on hot rocks with smoke/dry ice effect.
Tom: "If this is a fair reflection of the Lord of the Rings movie, I might have to go back and revisit it. This is delicious."
"The way that it's cooked, I think is beautiful. That kind of crispy skin. The char from it being cooked on coals and barbecue."
Later: "What a dish. Flavour profiles that were really interesting and different and burst. It was exciting. It was vibrant. I thought it was a really great dish."
Lorna: "The sauce, you eating the sauce, it's got that warmth in it, almost feels like you're sitting around a fire." Later gave it her top marks: "I thought the theatrics were great. It's a real contender for the banquet. And the sauce is insanely good."
Debbie: "I really enjoyed that. For me, the fish tasted really delicious. Very nicely cooked and all the flavours underneath, which I thought I wouldn't like. Indeed, I have liked very much." Phil: "Bass is back on the menu, boys."
THIS WAS A STANDOUT DISH OF THE DAY.
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