Bright food with zesty flavours - The Local Buzz

Bright Food with Zesty Flavours

John and Sim are the latest owners of the historic Hostellerie de Goujounac. With over two decades of experience in high-end restaurants, hotels and private yachts between them, they are well equipped to welcome guests into this charming establishment. Fresh, seasonal ingredients inspire the menu, with an emphasis on using local produce to create unusual dishes from scratch.

Sim and John

Salmon Gravlax with Avocado & Pickled Lemon

Serves 8

1.2kg Salmon fillet – skin on

1kg Coarse rock salt

330g Sugar

10g Coriander seeds

6 Black peppercorns

10g Fennel seeds

10g Cumin seeds

For the pickle:

4 Lemons, sliced paper-thin

100g Sugar

300g Water

100g White vinegar

50g Tarragon vinegar

50g Rice wine vinegar

4 Cloves

5g Coriander seeds

4 Black peppercorns

Garnish:

4 ripe avocados, sliced

Salmon: blend all ingredients for 30-40 seconds or crush spices by hand in a pestle and mortar, mix into the sugar and salt. Lay 1/3 of the mixture on a shallow tray, place salmon on top, skin-side down. Pour the rest of the mixture onto the salmon and rub in gently, covering the entire salmon. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 24 hours. Wash off mixture, pat dry with a towel and slice at an angle against the grain of the fish.

Pickle: Place the lemons into a kilner jar. Bring other ingredients to the boil, pour over lemons and refrigerate overnight.

Arrange salmon on a plate, followed by thinly sliced avocado and top with lemon and a grind of black pepper.

More bright food with zesty flavours:

Roast Vegetable Salad with Goat Cheese

Serves 6

500g Beetroot (boiled & peeled or store-bought, pre-cooked sous-vide)

1 Large red onion, thinly sliced

1 Large butternut squash

1 Celeriac

200g Feta

6 Cabécou (we use organic from our local farmer)

125g Baby spinach

125g Rocket

Honey

Balsamic reduction

1 Sprig thyme

Peel and cube the celeriac and butternut. Place the seeds in a bowl with a few tsps of salt for 30 mins. Wash off the salt, dry with a paper towel and roast at 180°C for 8-10 mins until slightly golden.

Slice the beetroot into six discs large enough to hold the Cabécou, dice the rest.

Mix the diced vegetables and beetroot with a glug of olive oil, salt and pepper, roast at 180°C for 15-20 mins until soft. Pan-fry the onion with the thyme over medium heat until lightly coloured, add two tbs each of balsamic reduction and water, stir until the liquid reaches a syrupy consistency. In a large bowl, mix the vegetables with the onion and crumble in the Feta. Set each of the cabécous on a disc of beetroot and roast at 180°C for 3-4 mins.

To serve, mix the rocket and baby spinach with the vegetables and place on plates, top with the beetroot and Cabécou stacks. Drizzle with honey and balsamic reduction and sprinkle with seeds. Serve immediately.

Coconut Panna Cotta with Mango Purée

Serves 8

1 480g Tin coconut milk

250g Milk

125g Sugar

5 2/3 Leaves gelatine

1 Stick lemongrass, split down the middle

Garnish:

4 Ripe mangos, puréed

Diced pineapple

Coriander leaves

Soak gelatine in tepid water until soft. Simmer the other ingredients for 2 mins, add gelatine and stir until dissolved. Pass through a sieve and pour into glasses or moulds. Set in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours, turn out, garnish with mango, pineapple and coriander.

First published in the September/October 2019 issue of The Local Buzz

Images: Hostellerie de Goujounac