Tohutao: Smoked Eel Salad

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Serves 4
Recipe Time: 45 mins
Difficulty: Medium

Salad

• 4 Manuka Smoked Eel Fillets
• 2 Bunches Baby Romaine Lettuce Leaves
• 1 cup New Potatoes - cooked and small dice
• 4 Radishes
• ½ Granny Smith Apple - peeled and small dice
• 3 Tbsp Fennel Tops - fine chiffonade (a.k.a finely chopped)
• ½ cup Croutons (Store bought is fine, homemade ones using old rewena bread is better)
• ¼ cup Pickled Red Onion
• Mustard Seed Dressing
• Fresh Dill, Chervil or Fennel Tops to garnish

1. Clean the eel by removing the skin, scales and bones. Use the back of a paring knife to scrape off any excessive layers of fat.
2. Break the cleaned eel fillets up into pieces approximately the size of a $2 coin. Put it all in a large mixing bowl and add the cooked potatoes, fennel tops, Baby Romaine leaves and apples. Drizzle approximately 3 tablespoons of Mustard Seed Dressing on the mix and combine.
3. Arrange salad in a bowl, top with croutons, pickled red onions and fresh herbs. Store bought croutons are fine, homemade ones using old rewena bread are better.

Mustard Seed Dressing

Dressings are one of things that are always open to interpretation, personally I like my dressings to be on the acidic side. Use this as a base but feel free to adjust according to personal taste.

• 3 Tbsp Wholegrain Mustard
• 1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
• 2 Tbsp White Wine Vinegar
• 1 Garlic Clove - minced
• 1 Tbsp Honey
• 1 cup Olive Oil
• Ground Black Pepper, to taste
• Salt, to taste

1. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl except the olive oil, black pepper and salt. Whisk together.
2. Add the olive oil to the mix by drizzling in slowly.
3. Season with ground black pepper and salt.

Pickled Red Onions

• 1 Red Onion, peeled and thinly sliced
• ½ cup White Wine Vinegar
• ½ cup Brown Sugar
• ½ cup Water
• Pinch of Salt
• 1 Bay Leaf
• ½ tsp Black Peppercorns

1. Place the vinegar, sugar, water, bay leaf, salt and black peppercorns in saucepan on the stovetop. Bring ingredients up to a boil.
2. Once at a boil, pour the hot liquid over the sliced onion. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and cool in the refrigerator. Serve chilled.

Pickled Radishes

• 6 Radishes
• ½ cup White Wine Vinegar
• ½ cup Brown Sugar
• ½ cup Water
• Pinch of Salt
• 1 Bay Leaf
• ½ tsp Black Peppercorns

1. Place the vinegar, sugar, water, bay leaf, salt and black peppercorns in saucepan on the stovetop. Bring ingredients up to a boil.
2. Once at a boil, pour the hot liquid over the radishes. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and cool in the refrigerator. Serve chilled.