Rogan

4 fresh herrings, cleaned and filleted

Sweet cicely gel

350ml fresh apple juice (shop-bought is fine)

juice of ½ lemon

1½ tsp agar agar

30g sweet cicely leaves

Frisée lettuce emulsion

230g green frisée leaves from the outer lettuce

2 soft-boiled eggs (cooked for 4 minutes)

300ml grapeseed oil

salt, for seasoning

young, yellow frisée from the lettuce centre, chervil leaves, garlic flowers, pak choi shoots, to serve

To make the pickle liquid, bring the rhubarb juice to the boil in a medium saucepan, then remove from the heat and add the sweet cicely stalks, sugar, vinegar, cloves, allspice berries and 2 pinches of salt. Return to the heat and bring to the boil again, then reduce the heat and simmer for 4–5 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to infuse until it has cooled to room temperature. Strain through a fine sieve and chill. When the pickle liquid is cold, add the herring fillets, cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for 24 hours.

To make the gel, put the apple juice, lemon juice and agar agar in a small saucepan over a high heat and bring to the boil. Once the mixture has come to the boil, pour it into a heatproof container and leave to cool. Once cold, chill in the fridge until set firm – this will only take a few minutes.

Transfer the firm gel to a blender and blitz with the raw sweet cicely leaves until smooth. Pass through a fine sieve and chill until ready to serve.

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil and blanch the frisée leaves for 1 minute 30 seconds. Remove and refresh in a bowl of iced water. Drain and squeeze out the excess water. Blitz the lettuce with the soft-boiled eggs in a clean blender until smooth, then gradually add the oil until the emulsion has a mayonnaise consistency. Pass through a fine sieve for a smoother texture and season with salt.

Divide the pickled herring among plates, add the sweet cicely gel and frisée lettuce emulsion and sprinkle each serving with the leaves, flowers and shoots.

LEEK AND LANGOUSTINES WITH SWEET CICELY AND FENNEL SAUCE (#ulink_7e7df063-ad12-55b0-9450-fd6a75003be6)

This is one for lovers of aniseed flavours – like me. The combination of fennel, sweet cicely and star anise packs an aniseed flavour punch against the sweet, delicate flavours of the langoustines and cream sauce. The whitecurrants are a lovely addition when in season as they add little bursts of sweetness and freshness. The recipe makes more oil than you will need, but it keeps in the freezer or for 3–5 days in the fridge – it might discolour over time but it’s still fine to use.

SERVES 4, AS A STARTER

Langoustine and cream sauce

12 whole large fresh langoustines

4 tbsp sunflower oil

2 shallots, sliced

1 carrot, sliced

1 celery stick, sliced

1 garlic clove, sliced

1 small leek, sliced

2 tsp tomato purée

1 star anise

1 bay leaf

200ml white wine

25ml Cognac

400ml White Chicken Stock (#litres_trial_promo)

100ml double cream

juice of ½ lemon

Sweet cicely oil

1 tsp fennel seeds

1 star anise

200ml grapeseed oil

50g spinach

50g sweet cicely leaves and young stalks

Fennel and sweet cicely purée

1 tbsp lemon juice

325g fennel, thinly sliced

75ml double cream, reduced by half over a low heat

40g sweet cicely leaves

Wispy leeks

16 small baby leeks

a pinch of salt