This vibrant mackerel appetizer comes from Chef Esben Holmboe Bang of Oslo’s Maaemo Restaurant. It is served with a puree of ramson, which is a type of wild garlic found in Norway. The delicate taste and texture of the fish is perfectly balanced with the bolder flavored puree. Then further enhanced with a combination from the bite of ramson flowers and the honey sweet blossoms from a type of wild viola found in Europe. Mackerel & Ramson from Maaemo Restaurant in Oslo, Norway.
Mackerel & Ramson from Maaemo Restaurant in Oslo, Norway
Print This Recipe Yield 2Source Adapted from Chef Esben Holmboe Bang, MAAEMO Restaurant- Oslo, NorwayPublishedTrue Norwegian ramson will be difficult to find in North America, the greens from ramps, chives and/or green garlic could be substituted. Chive blossoms could replace the ramson flowers. The small honey tasting viola called for in this recipe is a small European wildflower that is called Johnny Jump Up in North America.
Ingredients
- 2 small filets (about 4‑inches long) of very fresh mackerel, trimmed & cleaned
- 4 cup brine (1 part sugar, 2 part vinegar, 3 part water, salt to taste)
- 150 gram garlic cloves, peeled but left whole
- 100 gram cream
- 300 gram ramson greens, roughly chopped (see note)
- 200 gram sunflower oil
- 90 gram canola oil
- 50 gram balsamic apple vinegar
- 6 wild ramson flowers (see note)
- 6 wild viola flowers (see note)
Directions
Bring a small saucepan half-filled with water to a boil. Add the garlic and blanch about 1 minute. Discard water, reserving the garlic. Then refill the saucepan with fresh water and repeat blanching one more time. Empty saucepan and reserve garlic.
Add the cream to the saucepan along with the blanched garlic. Simmer the garlic in the cream until it becomes quite soft. Using a blender purée the mixture to a completely smooth texture. Push it through a fine-meshed strainer back into the small saucepan and set aside.
In a clean blender purée the fresh ramson greens with the both the sunflower oil and canola oil, then strain it into another small bowl; pressing the solids with the back of a spoon to extract as much of the oil as possible. Set aside.
Pour half of the reserved ramson oil into a small, clean saucepan. Add the apple balsamic vinegar, whisk to emulsify. Add the remaining ramson oil to the saucepan with the garlic purée, mix until well incorporated.
Pickle the mackerel in the cool brine for 11 minutes.
Gently heat the ramson vinaigrette sauce and the garlic ramson purée separately, stirring each the whole time, to just about body temperature.
Serve a dollop of the purée next to a room temperature mackerel filet. Garnish with the wild flowers and then spoon the ramson vinaigrette sauce onto the plate while tableside. Enjoy!
Halibut is one of my favorite fishes, and 6 filets must’ve set you back about $100! Looks like you did it proud.
First you are hanging out with that flirty corn and now you are two timing the seasons? For shame (ha ha)!
You certainly put some heat to this one with those pequin chiles. I didn’t picture you as being one liking such a hot chili.
Autumn is my favorite time of year, too. This is actually the time I enjoy grilling the most — when it’s not smoldering hot. If this grilled halibut means we’re caught between two seasons, then count me in.
We had a great crispy garlic eggplant & shishito dish at WP24. This looks great with halibut.
LL
I love spring but welcome fall, especially after a hot summer. But I grill all year long…seriously have been out there in boots and parka!
I need to do more fish; this looks very tasty Greg!
with your halibut on the grill. One of my favorite fish that is SO HARD to find on the East coast. Fried garlic.…YUM! — S
i do believe i am now ready for fall … although i am not looking forward to winter here … in fact, pretty sure i’d like the weather in LA much better! gorgeous dish Greg
I wonder what it would be like if you pan roasted the cherry tomatoes though? This time of year my vines are BURSTING with them. I was considering making a confit out of them, and that could be served with the halibut very nicely.
I plan to use the BBQ until there is too much snow to open the lid. I love it that much. LOL
I could do without the snow and shoveling of a winter in Canada, but do love a warm Indian Summer moving into autumn. I was out driving today searching for signs of fall with burnished leaves but I guess it is still too early. Never too early or late to have some grilled halibut with cherry tomatoes and garlic.
I really need to spend more time in LA. It’s been way too long.
Wonderful recipe, my friend. Just the kind of dish I’d enjoy making for dinner.
Greg, you’ve captured this time of year perfectly — both in your writing and in your choice of preparing the halibut!!! This preparation of halibut is perfect and so in keeping with this time of year!!
My sister and brother in law live in Temecula and have an avacado grove. I grew up in south Texas and loved the mild seasons. I do know what extreme is, living here in Wisconsin.
I say embrace whatever season you have and make the best of it. Hell, I can grill out in the middle of winter here in Wisconsin if I want to. And I do sometimes!
That beautiful looking grilled halibut would taste good any day of the year!