Michelin starred Mark Sergeant, owner of Rocksalt in Folkestone has created some marvelous recipes creations with Gin Mare including Gin Mare cured Sea Bass, Pan Fried Salmon with a Gin Mare butter sauce and Gin Mare infused Chocolate Truffles. 

Gin Mare Cured Sea Bass with Pickled Cucumber, Black Olives, Chilli and a Scallop Beignet in Tonic Batter

Makes six portions

1 large sea bass fillet, scaled and pinned

80g sea salt

25g caster sugar

1 tbsp black peppercorns, crushed

1 lemon zest of

1 orange zest of

¼ bunch mint, chiffonade

70ml gin mare

Mix together the sugar, salt, lemon zest, orange zest, peppercorns and mint then mix in the gin, completely cover all sides of the sea bass with the cure. Place the fillet in a tray or plate with the cure with another plate on top to press slightly and place in the fridge, Leave to cure for 24 hours in the fridge. Wash off well under cold running water and pat dry.

For The Dressing

100ml of the marinade (passed)

1 orange juice of

2 lemon juice of

250ml virgin rapeseed oil

Mix all ingredients together.

To Garnish

6 medium scallops, cleaned

75g plain flour

50g corn flour

125ml tonic

1 red chilli, de-seeded and sliced fine

10g coriander cress

6 black olives, sliced

¼ cucumber sliced

40g sea salt

100ml white wine vinegar

50g sugar

1tsp mustard seeds

First mix the sliced cucumber with the sea salt and leave for 20 minutes, in the meantime bring to the boil the vinegar, sugar and mustard seeds until the sugar has dissolved, allow to cool. Wash off the cucumber under plenty of cold running water and pat dry on a clean towel, place in a bowl and pour over the boiled vinegar sugar mixture and put to one side. Next make the tempura batter, in a bowl mix the plain flour, corn flour, baking powder and tonic together to achieve a very light batter.

 To serve, slice the sea bass thinly leaving the skin behind, lay out on a cold plate and smother with the dressing. Place the scallops in the batter and then deep-fry @190c for 1-2 minutes, remove and drain on kitchen paper then place on top of the sliced sea bass plates, finish by sprinkling over the pickled cucumber, chilli, olives and coriander cress and serve immediately.

Gin Mare Chocolate Truffles

Makes approx. 30 truffles

130g chocolate 70%, chopped 

160ml double cream

20g unsalted, softened butter 

50ml gin mare

1 sprig of rosemary

3 juniper berries, crushed

Good-quality cocoa powder for dusting

Bring the cream, rosemary and juniper to the simmer, remove from the heat, cover with cling film or a lid and allow to infuse for 20 minutes, bring back up to the simmer and pass onto the chocolate, whisk until it has melted and the mixture is smooth. Stir in the butter then the gin. Transfer the mixture into a tray or bowl and leave to cool in the fridge (about 1-1 ½ hours) until firm enough to scoop out with a tea spoon about 10g each piece, roll in the cocoa powder and leave in a cool place until needed.

Pan Fried Salmon with Sea Vegetables, Samphire and Crushed Celeriac with a Gin Mare Butter Sauce

Makes six portions

6 salmon fillets, scaled and pinned

300g mix of sea vegetables (sea kale, sea aster, sea beet etc)

150g Samphire

1 Lg celeriac peeled and diced into 1 inch cubes

milk just to cover celeriac

2 sprigs thyme

1 bay leaf

100g butter

Pinch of celery salt

Vegetable oil for cooking

Salt & freshly milled white pepper

In a pan add the celeriac, thyme, Bay. Cover with milk and simmer until the celeriac is well cooked, strain the celeriac removing the bay leaves and thyme stalks. Reserve the milk. Melt the butter in the same pan; add the celeriac back in, season with the salt and pepper and sauté for 2 mins to allow the celeriac to dry slightly.

Pulse in a blender in until course (not too smooth), adjust the consistency with the reserved milk if needed. Season with celery salt and keep warm.

Heat a non stick pan until medium hot, add a little vegetable oil and gently place the salmon fillets in, skin side down. Keep them cooking gently until the colour has changed half way un the side of the fish (this is all about controlling the temperature to not burn the skin but still get it crispy and cook the fish half way). Turn the heat off, turn the fish over and leave in the pan, the residual heat will finish cooking the fish through.

In boiling salted water add the sea vegetables and cook for 2 minutes, remove and add the Samphire and cook for 1 minute.

For the Gin Mare Butter Sauce Reduction: can be made up to a week in advance and kept in the fridge

25g butter

2 shallots sliced

5g pepper corns

250ml white wine vinegar

150ml gin mare

Handful of basil stalks

Cook the shallots in the butter until soft, add the peppercorns, vinegar and basil stalks and reduce by half, add the gin and reduce again by half. Strain.

Finishing the sauce:

2 tbsp reduction

100ml chicken stock

1 tbsp cream

250g unsalted butter

2 tbsp gin mare

Bring the reduction and chicken stock to the boil and reduce by a third, add the cream and then gradually whisk in the butter to form an emulsion.

Season and finish with the gin mare.

Don’t boil the sauce or the butter will split!

To serve, neatly arrange the hot celeriac and sea vegetables in a warm bowl, top off with the salmon and scatter over the Samphire, serve the butter sauce on the side to pour as needed.