Recipe: Two chefs show how to cook up the halibut and barramundi
GRILLED FILLET OF BARRAMUNDI
GRILLED FILLET OF BARRAMUNDI
with cauliflower puree and a parmesan and almond crumbs
By Peter Rollinson, executive chef at The Halia at Singapore Botanic Gardens
Serves 4
Parmesan and almond crumbs
Ingredients:
80g Grana Padano cheese, grated
80g flaked almonds
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius, place the almonds and grated parmesan on separate trays and bake for 8 minutes each or until golden brown.
2. Allow to cool, the chop both finely and mix together. Set aside.
Cauliflower puree
Ingredients:
Half a head cauliflower, sliced thinly
200ml cream
200ml milk
Method:
1. Place cauliflower in a pot, cover with milk and cream and simmer gently over a low heat until cauliflower is tender (approximately 15 minutes).
2. Blend until smooth in a blender.
Ingredients:
4 pieces of barramundi fillet, portioned into 180g pieces
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Half a small onion, diced
1.5tsp curry powder
1 bunch sweet potato leaves, washed
Half a head cauliflower, blanched and refreshed
Half teaspoon of mustard seeds
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lime, cut into wedges
1. Preheat an oven to 200 degrees C. Remove barramundi fillet from fridge 15 minutes before cooking to allow it to come to room temperature and cook more evenly.
2. Place a non-stick pan over high heat and add olive oil, season the barramundi skin with salt before placing it into the pan. Allow the skin to colour and crisp up, before turning the fish and immediately placing the pan into the oven for 5 minutes.
3. While the fish is cooking, add olive oil to a new pan, sweat the garlic and onion then add the curry powder. Place the cauliflower into the pan followed by the sweet potato leaves. Cook until the sweet potato leaves wilt. Season and add the mustard seeds.
4. To serve, place a spoonful of cauliflower puree on a plate, add the sauteed cauliflower and sweet potato leaves, then top with the fish. Scatter parmesan and almond crumbs around. Serve with a wedge of lime.
NORWEGIAN HALIBUT ON MELBA TOAST
with avocado puree and garlic mayonnaise
By Adrian Lovold, guest chef for the Norwegian Seafood Council
Serves 4
Ingredients:
4 fillets Norwegian halibut (approx. 180 grams per fillet per person)
8 slices Melba toast (2 slices per person)
2 avocado
4 tomatoes
2 capsicums
1 clove garlic
1 egg
1 tsp mustard
1 tsp lime juice
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
Tabasco sauce to taste
2-3 decilitres sunflower oil
Clarified butter
Salt
Optional for sides/garnish:
Fish caviar
Asparagus
Watercress
Chives, chopped
Basil
Method:
1. To prepare the side of tomatoes and capsicums, remove the stems from tomatoes and cut slits across the top. Boil the tomatoes by placing them into rapidly boiling water for about 30 to 60 seconds.
2. Drain off the water and peel the skin from the tomatoes, before slice the blanched tomatoes into smaller strips.
3. To prepare capsicums, chop them into smaller pieces. Season with a pinch of salt and bake at 180 degrees Celsius till skin is lightly blacken and easy to be peel. Mix both tomatoes and peeled capsicums together with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
4. To make garlic mayonnaise, mix the egg, garlic, mustard, lemon juice, sunflower oil and a pinch of salt in a blender (an immersion blender is recommended).
5. To make avocado puree, cut open the avocados and remove the meat. Mix in olive oil, lime juice, a pinch of salt and Tabasco to taste, and blend into a puree.
6. To prepare halibut and Melba toast, first heat pan on stove on medium to medium-high heat. Then place the halibut fillet on the Melba toast and fry both lightly on pan with clarified butter. Flip occasionally and cook until fillet is lightly browned.
7. Place into oven and bake fillet and toast for about 4 minutes at 180 degrees C.
8. To serve, plate the fillet with a little avocado puree and garlic mayonnaise, tomatoes and capsicum on the side.
9. Alternatively, add fish caviar on top of the toast/fillet, and lightly fried asparagus on the side. Garnish with basil, chives, and watercress. For a more Asian spin, white fish also tend to work well with flavourful sauces like Thai sweet chili sauce, and soy sauce.