Smoked Swordfish Recipe

With its stunning garnish of edible flowers you would be forgiven for thinking this ice cream recipe from Roberto Petza is a delicious dessert , but the delicate leaves hide a savoury onion ice cream, served with salty shards of dried ham and slices of home-smoked swordfish. This elegant starter requires a few pieces of cheffy equipment, but each component of the dish can be prepared in advance making it an excellent option for an impressive dinner party menu.

Onion ice cream

500g of white onion, thinly sliced
250g of salt
100g of sugar
100g of water
150g of milk
175g of cream

Smoked fish

100g of swordfish steak
1 garlic clove
10g of thyme
10g of rosemary
100g of coarse sea salt

Crispy ham

3 slices of Parma ham

To serve

1 slice of flatbread, such as carasau bread
fronds of fresh dill
nasturtium leaves
edible flowers
extra virgin olive oil

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shopping List

Food processor
Hand blender
Smoking gun
Pacojet

Begin by preparing the swordfish. Place the garlic, thyme, rosemary and salt in a food processor and blitz together until combined

1 garlic clove
10g of thyme
10g of rosemary
100g of coarse sea salt

Place the swordfish in a shallow dish and cover completely with the flavoured salt. Leave to marinate for 1 hour and 15 minutes

100g of swordfish steak

Meanwhile, place the sliced onions in a colander and position over the sink or a large bowl. Sprinkle over the salt and mix until evenly distributed. Leave to stand for at least 1 hour to draw out excess moisture from the onions

500g of white onion, thinly sliced
250g of salt

Preheat the oven to 145°C/gas mark 1

Spread out the Parma ham slices on a baking tray and place in the low oven for 1 hour to dry out. Once crisp and dry, allow to cool then crumble into shards and reserve until ready to serve

3 slices of Parma ham

Once the onions have stood for an hour, rinse thoroughly under cold running water until the salt has been completely removed

Transfer to a large pan with the sugar and water and place over a medium heat. Bring to a boil and cook for 10–15 minutes, until the onions are transparent. Add the milk and continue to simmer for another 5–10 minutes until the liquid has reduced slightly

100g of sugar
100g of water
150g of milk

Remove from the heat and blend the onion mixture until smooth. Allow to cool completely, then pass the cooled mixture through a fine sieve into a clean bowl and mix in the cream. Transfer to a Pacojet container and freeze

175g of cream

Remove the swordfish from the salt marinade and rinse thoroughly under cold water. Pat dry with kitchen paper, place in a container with a fitted lid and use a smoking gun to smoke for 30 minutes

Meanwhile, transfer the ice cream from the freezer to a Pacojet machine and churn to create a smooth ice cream

Remove the smoked swordfish and slice as thinly as possible. Cut the flatbread into 4 small rectangles, each about 3cm long

1 slice of flatbread, such as carasau bread

To serve, place a piece of flatbread in the centre of each plate and top with a quenelle of onion ice cream, covering with a few thin slices of the smoked swordfish. Sprinkle the crumbled ham over the plate, garnish with sprigs of dill, nasturtium leaves and edible flowers and finish with a drizzle of olive oil

fronds of fresh dill
nasturtium leaves
edible flowers
extra virgin olive oil

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Roberto Petza

From carpentry to cooking, Roberto Petza's culinary prowess has finally found a home in a remote village on the island of Sardinia.

Onion ice cream with smoked swordfish and crispy ham

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