Makes 24 pieces Sushi 275g Japanese rice 6 tablespoons sushi vinegar, plus more for the hands 4 large sheets of toasted nori seaweed 12 drained canned anchovy fillets Half cucumber, peeled, halved, deseeded and cut into long strips 8 umeboshi plums, quartered, stoned and cut into strips, or 4 tablespoons umeboshi paste (optional) Chocolate tapenade 150g pitted black olives (or pit some big juicy kalamata olives yourself) 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped 2 tablespoons capers, drained and roughly chopped 30g melted dark chocolate Salt and pepper chocolate ingredients 200g tempered chocolate scant teaspoon flaky sea salt scant teaspoon cracked black pepper Dipping sauce 4 tablespoons light soy sauce 1 tablespoon dry sherry or mirin (Japanese rice wine) To serve Wasabi and pickled ginger
First prepare the rice. Soak it in cold water for 10 minutes, drain off excess water, put the rice into a heavy pan and add 350ml fresh cold water. Bring to the boil, then simmer, covered, for six to seven minutes until just tender and all the water has been absorbed. Fluff up the rice and place in a large flat dish or baking tray. Add the sushi vinegar and mix well with a spatula, while fanning the rice to cool it quickly. Once cool, put to one side. Prepare the tapenade by processing all the ingredients together to make a rough paste. To assemble the sushi, first place a sheet of toasted nori shiny side down on a bamboo sushi mat. With vinegared hands, spread a quarter of the rice evenly over the entire width and two-thirds of the depth of the nori. Arrange a line of anchovies and tapenade along the middle of the rice across the width and put the cucumber strips on top together with the umeboshi plums or purée. Using the mat, roll up the nori to make a cylinder about 4cm in diameter, then press it in the mat to form it into a square shape. Repeat with the other pieces of nori and remaining ingredients. Using a sharp knife, cut each length in half, then cut each of these into three pieces. To make the salt and pepper chocolate, spread the tempered chocolate as thinly as possible on a sheet of cellophane (or a tray covered in cling film). Sprinkle the salt and pepper evenly over the surface of the chocolate. When it has started to cool, divide it into squares about 3 x 4cm and leave on the sheet to finish cooling in the fridge for 10 minutes. To complete Arrange the pieces of sushi on a serving dish and spear each piece with the salt and pepper chocolate. Serve with a small mountain of wasabi, some pickled ginger and the dipping sauce made by mixing the soy sauce and sherry or mirin. Recipe from Chantal Coady, founder of Rococo Chocolates, London, and author of Real Chocolate