Tartare Sauce

Everyone has their own little twist on tartare sauce - the traditional sauce to serve with fish, particularly fried fish. Some like it smooth others like it coarse, some add chopped hard boiled egg, others finely diced onion and garlic, or vary the herbs, but tartare sauce should always contain capers and gherkins ... otherwise it isn't tartare sauce.

Ingredients:

2 egg yolks
1 tspn white wine vinegar
1 tspn mild Dijon mustard
½ pint of sunflower oil
a squeeze of lemon juice
6 cornechon (baby gherkins) - roughly chopped
1 tspn capers - roughly chopped
1 tblspn chopped parsley
1 tspn of salt
a good pinch of white pepper

Method:

1. Place the yolks, mustard, salt and pepper in food processor and blitz until pale and bubbly.

2. With the motor running, add the oil a few drops at a time. When ¼ of the oil is used up add the rest in a very slow stream.

3. Turn the mixture out into a bowl and stir in the capers, gherkins, parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice.

The great thing about using a food processor is that, as long as you add the oil very slowly, you'll have to try really hard to curdle it. But if it does begin to split simply place a fresh yolk in a clean bowl and, slowly this time, whisk the curdled mixture onto it and carry on adding any remaining oil.