As the executive chef of Al Mare, The Carlton Tower’s destination restaurant, Marco Calenzo oversees a menu that centres on seafood, combining the flavours of his native Italy with his experience as the former executive chef at Knightsbridge Japanese restaurant Zuma. 

For wine, Will Clarke, general manager of Mother Vine on Pavilion Road recommends looking to Piedemonte, the home of the truffle in northwest Italy. “These wines, the reds in particular, tend to pair beautifully with the earthy, umami flavours of the truffles,” he says. “For a white, La Giustiniana Gavi di Gavi Montessora 2021 (£28.55) made from the Cortese grape will offer citrus notes and freshness to cut through the buttery sauce of the Dover sole. Alternatively, a lighter-bodied red such as Sobrero Langhe Nebbiolo 2020 (£23.95) has savoury notes of anise and herbs alongside floral, rose aromas which won’t overpower the fish but will beautifully complement the truffle.”

Here, in his recipe for white truffle Dover sole, Calenzo marries the richness of truffle with the light flavours of Japanese cuisine.

INGREDIENTS (serves two)

Main ingredients:

2 Dover sole fillets, sliced into 2” strips 

200g mixture of mushrooms. Al Mare uses maitake, white and brown shimeji, Scottish girolles, ceps, enoki and shitake. 

White truffle, to taste

½ red onion (about 90g), chopped

Olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Fresh shisho leaves, julienned* 

Shisho flower, for garnishing*

STEAMING SPICE INGREDIENTS

1 stick celery, sliced lengthways

1 star anise

1 tsp black peppercorns

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp allspice (or cubeb tailed pepper)

2 sprigs thyme

MISO BUTTER INGREDIENTS

240g butter                               

2 garlic cloves, grated 

200g ponzu sauce

14g sugar 

64g Saikyo miso. Miso paste will work, however Saikyo Miso has a sweeter and more delicate flavour.

10g Kizami wasabi. Reduce quantity if using regular wasabi paste. Can be substituted for freshly grated horseradish to taste. 

GARLIC PONZU BUTTER INGREDIENTS

150g ponzu sauce 

25g garlic cloves, grated 

200g butter 

METHOD

For the miso butter glaze:

1. Heat the butter in a pan and add garlic with ponzu and sugar.

2.  Then add miso and wasabi, and whisk in the pan blend until smooth. 

For the garlic ponzu butter:

1. Heat the pan then add garlic purée, add in the butter and cook until boiled. 

2. Mix in the ponzu and keep whisking until the butter melts. 

3. Blend until smooth. 

For the Dover sole:

1. In a hot pan, sauté the mushrooms and onions with olive oil together with salt.

2. Add four tablespoons of the garlic ponzu butter and cook together to emulsify.

3. Take the strips of Dover sole fillet, roll, and secure with a skewer. 

4. Add the celery, thyme and spices to 2” of water in a pot of water and bring to the boil.

5. Place the fish into a Japanese steamer basket (or a steaming pot) and add a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper to the fish to season before steaming. 

6. Place over the pot of boiling water and spices, cover and steam for 7-8 minutes, or until cooked through (test with a fork; if it slips in easily, it’s cooked). 

7. Remove the fish from the steamer, removing the skewers, and place onto plates.

8. Add the sautéed mushrooms and onion to the fish and drizzle over the miso butter glaze.

9. Scatter the julienned shisho leaves over the dish and top with shaved truffle.

10. Finish with a garnish of shiso (or other edible) flowers. 

*Fresh shisho leaves and flowers are available at Japanese food markets, including T&S shops, Japan Centre, and Natural Natural. The leaves can be substituted with fresh basil. The flowers can be substituted with other edible flowers.