This would have to be in London, on top of the tallest building in the City. I’d want to be up there as the sun was setting over the city and the river … The view would be spectacular – all I’d need would be a comfy chair.
I came to London when I was just 18 for my first job at The Savoy and can’t really see myself ever leaving. I love the buzz, the diversity, the energy – I love how the amazing array of cultures influences the food scene.
It would be the first day of spring, which is the most exciting time of year – I always get excited about spring produce, asparagus, bianchetti truffles …
I’d be with my wife, Jane, and our three children. As I work very long hours, it is really special when we all get time to eat together as a family. We usually prefer to cook at home than go out, and it is a great opportunity to spend some quality time together. More recently we have been able to go out more, and for my birthday last year we all went to Chez Bruce. The kids were brilliant - so well-behaved - even my seven year old!
But on this occasion, I would have to prepare the food myself – of course! I’d get the whole family involved, too. We would all muck in.
As a starter, I would have pigeon with watercress and radicchio: a fantastic way to begin any meal – the pigeon meat, which is quite dense, contrasts beautifully with the light, fresh vegetables.
For the main course, it would be plaice, gnocchi and shallots. This is one of my own recipes – such an amazing selection of flavours. Plaice is a wonderfully versatile fish.
And for dessert, there’d be caramelised white chocolate with rhubarb and a thyme biscuit. We’d match the meal with a very fine burgundy. And that’s all I’d need. No music or any other distraction – just my family, the meal, and that view.
Marcus’ plaice, gnocchi and shallots recipe
The shallots should ideally be prepped well in advance as they require slow-baking for up to six hours. For the white wine sauce, make sure you ask the fishmonger for the bones from the fish after they have filleted them for you.
Serves 4
4 plaice fillets
Salt and black pepper
For the gnocchi
1kg desiree potatoes, similar sized
2 eggs
320g flour
Salt
For the baked shallots
1.5kg large banana shallots
A sprig of thyme
A dash of sherry vinegar
Salt to taste
For the sauce
Fish bones, from 2 fish, rinsed and dried, cut into 3cm pieces
1 banana shallot, sliced
250ml white wine
100ml double cream
75g butter, diced and chilled, plus extra for frying
Creme fraiche, to taste
1 tbsp chopped dill
1 tbsp chopped chive
Juice of ½ lemon
1 For the gnocchi, cover the potatoes with water and simmer for 50 minutes; it is important to simmer the potatoes very gently. The aim is to cook the potatoes through without the skins breaking. To ensure they’re dry, once cooked, place in an oven pre-heated to 110C/230F/gas mark ¼, for 10 minutes.
2 While they’re still warm, peel the potatoes and push them through a ricer. Place the potato in a bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the salt, eggs and ¾ of the flour. Mix together to form a smooth dough, only adding the rest of the flour if the dough is too sticky.
3 Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces, rolling each section into a long cigar shape around 1.5cm in diameter. Once the “cigars” are formed, cut them into 2cm nuggets: these can now be shaped using a gnocchi board if you have one, or by rolling them over a fork. Blanche in boiling salted water – they are ready when they rise to the surface. Set aside.
4 Leave the shallots in their skins, cover with water, season and bring to the boil. Remove from the water. Using tin foil, create an airtight pouch to contain the shallots. Add the thyme, 2 tbsp water and season. Seal the pouch well. Bake in a preheated oven at 150CC/300F/gas mark 2 – ideally for 6 hours. Once baked, allow to cool. You should now be able to squeeze the flesh from the skin. Roughly chop the flesh to create a fine paste, then season with the vinegar and salt.
5 To make the white-wine sauce: in a deep frying pan gently roast the fish bones in 15g butter. Once well caramelised, add the sliced shallot and roast further. Just as the shallot begins to brown, add the white wine and cream, and reduce down until it’s almost coating the bones and shallot. Reduce the heat and stir in the cream fraiche. Remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 10 minutes.
6 Now strain the sauce through a fine sieve to remove the bones. Return the sauce to the heat and bring gently to the boil. Pour into a food blender. On a moderate speed, blend the sauce, adding one cube of the chilled butter at a time until a thick sauce is achieved. Season, finish with the herbs and lemon juice to taste.
7 To finish, season the plaice fillets, then heat some butter in a pan gently until it is starting to foam and caramelise: try to maintain this all the way through the cooking, reducing and increasing the heat gently as required, adding a little more butter if necessary. Add the fillets to the butter and roast on both sides – the flesh should be lightly speckled with the caramelised butter, not dry or crispy but moist and glossy.
8 Once cooked, remove the fillets and keep warm, add the blanched gnocchi to the same pan and roast, again gently, try not to burn the butter. Once the dumplings are golden and slightly crisp strain off the butter and add the white wine sauce. Serve with the baked onion as a base for the gnocchi and the plaice fillets on top.
