Torched mackerel and Stornoway black pudding by Chris McComiskey at The Finnieston, Glasgow  

I never planned to become a chef, it just sort of happened. Over the last 4-5 years, I’ve favoured working with seafood. As soon as I saw the sous chef position at the Finnieston being advertised I knew it was right up my street and I told myself, “I’m having that!” 
Five months later, I became Head Chef. It has been very challenging but I’ve loved every minute of it. I have a great team behind me and the freedom to do the style of food I want.

For more information visit: www.thefinniestonbar.com

Ingredients: Serves 2
Two fresh mackerel fillets
60g Stornoway black pudding
60g of butternut squash, skin removed and diced
30g sea veg or similar such as kale/samphire 
Three ripe plums, de-stoned and diced
50ml white wine
100g unsalted butter 
10ml cream

Method
1 Start by making the plum beurre blanc. Reduce the wine by half with two of the plums. Add the cream then cut the butter into cubes and add gradually, whisking all the time. 
2 As the plums cook, they will start to disintegrate into the sauce. They can be removed later by passing the sauce through a sieve but this isn’t essential.
3 For the squash puree, simply cook out the squash and finish in a blender with a knob of butter and season to taste. 
4 Score the skin on the mackerel and grill with the black pudding and the remaining plum, cut into segments, for 7 minutes. Turn the black pudding half way through. 
5 For the sea veg or kale and samphire, blanch them in water then finish in a hot pan. In this pan, add the plum segments from the grill and a little of that oil from the mackerel. Season with some salt. 
6 If you don’t have a blow torch you can return the mackerel to the grill and blacken the skin that way, but for the best taste quickly flick the blow torches flame over the cooked fish until it starts to blacken. 
7 To plate, place some squash puree in the centre of the plate. Place the black pudding on the top with wilted sea veg and confit plums. Add the mackerel then dress with the beurre blanc.

In association with Taste Communications.

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