The dual photographer and fashion stylist misses her friends (and their food).
Venetia Scott has come a long way from home. Having collaborated with the likes of Mario Sorrenti, Juergen Teller, and Helmut Newton, the English photographer-slash-stylist still holds a deep appreciation for her roots, especially regarding friends and, most importantly, food. “This is my favorite dish from The Rocket Store, a small restaurant run by friends in the harbor of my local village, Boscastle, Cornwall,” Scott explains. The meal, composed of hake filets and saffron-infused aioli, proves that the best things in life aren’t far at all.
Ingredients
- 5 ounces 4 hake filets
- 3 eggs
- 10 ounces vegetable oil
- 3 peeled garlic cloves
- A good pinch of saffron
- 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- A small bunch of parsley leaves (picked)
- A small bunch of basil leaves (picked)
Instructions
- Start by bringing 2 tablespoons of water to the boil with saffron and let it infuse.
- Then, onto the aioli. Crack the eggs into a bowl and scoop out the yolks with your hand before adding them to a food processor.
- Add the garlic cloves and Dijon mustard before blitzing, slowly pouring in the vegetable oil, allowing the oil to emulsify with the egg yolk.
- Halfway through, add the saffron-infused water, a really good pinch of salt, and the vinegar.
- Then, pour the rest of the oil in.
- Taste for seasoning. Add a little more salt, vinegar, or water if needed before transferring to a bowl.
- Then onto the hake. Season the fish on both sides with Maldon sea salt.
- Get a frying pan nice and hot on a medium flame.
- Add the hake filets, skin side down, and cook until the flesh goes white about ¾ of the way up the side of the fish. This should take around 4-5 minutes.
- Turn the heat off and using a spatula, or fish slice if you have one, flip the fish over and allow to cook for ⅔ minutes.
- Onto the plating. Add a really good tablespoon of aioli to the plate.
- Place the fish on one side of it and a small pile of the herbs on top.
- Enjoy