Emma Ledaig Sour Recipe from An Cala Ciùin as Chef Ross supports local producers
You may have read our review of An Cala Ciùin which has been gaining rave reviews since opening just before Christmas 2023.
If you haven’t (I won’t judge you, really!) Chef Ross Caithness operates a fine dining restaurant, An Cala Ciùin, within the iconic Mishnish Hotel on Tobermory’s seafront. He works closely with two local suppliers on his five and eight-course tasting menus.
Cold smoked salmon from Tobermory Fish Company is combined with confit lemon, cucumber and beetroot gel, served in a crisp savoury cone and topped with caviar.
“Nearly four months in, and our diners and critics have given us fantastic reviews,” said Ross. “They’ve been very impressed with our menu which is very much the best of the Island‘s larder on a plate.”
“The fantastic produce we have here on the island makes my job far easier. It’s been a pleasure to think how best I can make them shine!”
Sally MacColl, from the Tobermory Fish Company, said: “We are delighted that Ross enjoys using our smoked salmon – I have tried the canape for myself and it’s beautiful. We love that Ross is supporting our wonderful larder here on Mull. His imagination is to be commended, and we wish him continued success with An Cala Ciùin.”
On the menu from day one of An Cala Ciùin, is Ross’s dish showcasing whisky from the island’s Tobermory Distillery, situated on the same street as The Mishnish. The ten year old, heavily peated, Ledaig is one of the two ranges produced by the distillery.
Ross has added it to an innovative palate cleanser sorbet, topped with a burnt sourdough sherbet and confit lemon – the Ledaig Sour Sorbet – which is the ideal way to break up the meal between courses.
Visitor Centre Manager at Tobermory Distillery, Olivier MacLean, said: “Ross must surely take the prize for one of the most unusual uses of our ten year old Ledaig.
We would never have thought of it being used in a sorbet, but Ross assures us that it works, with the Ledaig containing all the tasting notes he needs to perfectly balance the dish.”
“The restaurant is doing well attracting attention from the various food critics he has had trying his food, so it’s good news for Tobermory, and its vibrant food and drink producers generally.”
Do you want to make your own Ledaig Sour? We have the recipe below.
Ledaig Sour Sorbet Recipe
Ingredients
40ml ledaig 10 year old whisky
500g caster sugar
500g water
325ml sparkling water
5 ½ lemons (juiced)
90g egg whites
Method
In a small pot boil and flame the whisky till the alcohol burns off
Add the water and caster sugar and bring to a boil then leave to cool
Mix in the lemon juice and egg whites to sugar syrup
Add the sparkling water and blend
Churn in an ice cream machine and freeze
Ledaig Sour Sorbet Recipe
Ingredients
- 40 ml ledaig 10 year old whisky
- 500 g caster sugar
- 500 g water
- 325 ml sparkling water
- 5 ½ lemons juiced
- 90 g egg whites
Instructions
- In a small pot boil and flame the whisky till the alcohol burns off
- Add the water and caster sugar and bring to a boil then leave to cool
- Mix in the lemon juice and egg whites to sugar syrup
- Add the sparkling water and blend
- Churn in an ice cream machine and freeze
An Cala Ciùin is open Wednesday to Saturday, with lunch served 12-2:30pm, and dinner from 5.30-9pm.
Further details on An Cala Ciùin at www.ancalaciuin.co.uk
Further details on The Mishnish at www.themishnish.co.uk
