Skewered Fish with Honey-Mustard Sauce
Submitted by Ross the Boss
Skewered fish with bacon, mushrooms, onions, and cherry tomatoes, grilled and served with a homemade honey-mustard sauce made from scratch with egg yolk and tarragon vinegar.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
80 minCOOK
10 minREADY
90 minThese fish skewers are a proper British dinner party dish: cubes of firm white fish alternating with marinated mushrooms, onion wedges, rolled bacon, and cherry tomatoes, all grilled and served with a luscious honey-mustard sauce you make from scratch. The sauce alone is worth learning this recipe for.
Halibut, turbot, or monkfish are the best choices here. You need a firm, thick-fleshed fish that won’t fall apart on the skewer or flake into the grill grates. Delicate fish like sole or cod will disintegrate. The hour-long marinade in lemon juice, salt, and pepper firms the exterior slightly and seasons the cubes all the way through.
Marinating the mushrooms and onions separately in oil and lemon lets them absorb flavor independently. They cook differently than the fish, and this head start in the marinade means they come off the grill tender and flavorful, not raw in the center.
The honey-mustard sauce is essentially a flavored mayonnaise built from scratch. Honey, French mustard, and egg yolk whisked together, then tarragon vinegar added gradually, followed by a slow stream of sunflower oil whisked in until it emulsifies into a thick, creamy sauce. It’s a cold sauce, served alongside, that adds richness and tang to every bite.
The bacon rolls tucked between the fish and vegetables render their fat during grilling, basting everything around them.
Chef Tips
- Cut the fish into large cubes, at least 1 inch. Smaller pieces overcook before the vegetables are done
- Stretch the bacon rashers with the back of a knife before rolling. This makes them thinner and ensures they cook through on the skewer
- Whisk the oil into the sauce in a very thin stream. Too fast and the emulsion breaks into an oily mess
- Baste with the leftover marinade during grilling for extra flavor and moisture
Variations
- Swap tarragon vinegar for champagne vinegar in the sauce for a lighter, more delicate flavor
- Use large prawns instead of fish cubes for a shellfish version
- Add chunks of zucchini or bell pepper to the skewers for more color and vegetables
Ingredients
Directions
Cut the fish into large cubes, put it into a dish and sprinkle with lemon juice, salt and pepper.
Cut the onions into wedges, put them into a separate bowl with the mushrooms, add a good grinding of pepper, and oil and lemon juice - in the ratio of 2 tablespoons oil to 1 tablespoon lemon.
Leave to absorb flavours for an hour or more.
Halve the bacon rashers, de-rind them, stretch and roll them up loosely.
The sauce can also be made in advance.
Beat the honey, mustard and egg yolk together in a small bowl.
Add the vinegar, a spoonful at a time, whisking it in with a balloon whisk or fork.
Then add the oil, pouring it from a jug in a thin stream and whisking the contents of the bowl all the time as you pour.
Continue whisking for about a minute until the sauce is a homogeneous thick cream, then season to taste with salt and pepper.
Close to serving time, thread the fish, onions and mushrooms on to skewers, adding the bacon rolls and tomatoes here and there.
Grill for 10 minutes or so under medium-high heat, turning and basting occasionally with the marinade liquid.
Serve immediately with a dish of rice and hand round the sauce separately.
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