ELDERFLOWER COLLINS RECIPES

Steps:

• Build the drink over plenty of ice in a Collins glass, stir gently and garnish with a slice of lemon. 3 TWISTS Raspberry Collins Raspberries give this twist on the classic Collins a pretty splash of colour. Start by gently muddling a handful of raspberries in the bottom of an empty Collins glass, then add the ice, all the other ingredients and mix well with a long handled spoon. Garnish with an orange slice. Brandy Collins This is a really refreshing way to enjoy cognac. For best results, use a young-ish VS or VSOP cognac that’s nice and fruity. Just make the drink as normal, substituting cognac for gin, then garnish with a slice of ginger or a ribbon of lemon peel. Elderflower Collins Elderflower and lemon is a winning combination. You can make it with elderflower cordial or liqueur for something a touch more boozy. Mix the drink as normal, but use the liqueur or cordial in place of the sugar syrup. Garnish with a lemon slice.

Steps:

• For the horseradish potatoes, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and boil the potatoes, in their skins, for 10-15 minutes, or until tender. Drain and, when cool enough to handle, cut into quarters.
• Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat, then add the potatoes and season, to taste, with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Fry the potatoes for 7-8 minutes, turning occasionally, until crisp and golden-brown. Remove the fried potatoes from the pan and set aside to drain on kitchen paper.
• Meanwhile, for the spiced mackerel, preheat the grill to its highest setting. Score the skin of each mackerel three times on each side using a sharp knife.
• Preheat the grill to high.
• Mix all of the remaining spiced mackerel ingredients together in a bowl to form a thick, spiced butter and season well with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Rub the butter over the mackerel fillets, then grill for 4-5 minutes, turning once, or until just cooked through.
• To finish the horseradish potatoes, transfer them to a mixing bowl. Stir in the shallots, soured cream and creamed horseradish and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir in the chives.
• As soon as the mackerel are cooked, transfer to serving plates and spoon the horseradish potatoes alongside.