Gelf’s eggy tartare sauce
Makes enough for 4 substantial sandwiches, or serves 6-8 as a hearty accompaniment for fish
6 medium eggs, at room temperature
4 spring onions or 2 small shallots, finely chopped
3–4 gherkins (about 30g), finely diced
1 tbsp capers, rinsed
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
1 tbsp finely chopped dill (optional)
2–3 tbsp mayonnaise
A dab of Dijon mustard
2–3 dashes of Tabasco sauce (optional)
1 lemon
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
First, boil the eggs. They should be what I call soft-hard-boiled – that is, the whites completely set but the yolks just a bit runny in the middle. I achieve this pretty reliably by putting them in a pan of hand-hot water, covering it and bringing it quickly to the boil, then boiling for exactly 4 minutes – 5 if they are extra large. Then I run the eggs under the cold tap and peel them as soon as they are cool enough to handle.
Roughly chop the eggs and mix with the spring onions or shallots, gherkins, capers, parsley and dill, if using.
In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard and Tabasco, if using. Gently combine this mixture with the eggs. Add a good hit of fresh lemon juice (and some zest, too, if you like). Season with salt and pepper. Serve with Jeannine’s crunchy crumbled fish fillets.
More River Cottage fish dishes
Tackling fresh fish takes confidence, knowledge and technique. It can seem a daunting task, but in this course Gelf will guide you through the skills you need. Once you’ve learned the techniques and practised it yourself you will finish the course feeling confident in your ability to cook fish and shellfish at home.
You will be introduced to varieties of fish seasonally available, updated on current sustainability guidelines and given advice on how to shop for the freshest fish. You will learn the basics of fish preparation including gutting, scaling and filleting three types of fish – flat, round and oily – with a particular focus on knife skills. And you will learn a variety of techniques including pan-frying, baking and stewing plus creating stocks and broths and a number of delicious recipes.
River Cottage's Executive Chef Gelf Alderson teaches you how to handle fish and shellfish in his Next Level Fish & Shellfish online course with Learning with Experts.
Learn how to master challenging seafood dishes, shellfish preparation and learn to source the most sustainable and fresh fish. Including recipes for ceviche, oysters cooked three different ways and a crab bisque.