Basa fish with a fresh garden salad
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Time and Servings
Serves:4
Preparation Time:2 hours
Cooking Time:1 hour
Ingredients
Pickled Cauliflower
2 cauliflower florets
1 baby onion
1 tsp mustard seeds
½ cup rice vinegar
⅓ cup water
1.5 Tbsp sugar
Pinch of salt
Savoury Thyme & Pine Nut Crumb
75g butter, chilled
100g all purpose flour
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
Salt
Ground black pepper
25g pine nuts
Lemon Dijon Sauce
1 Tbsp butter
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
A pinch salt
½ cup fish stock
½ cup cream
1 Tbsp dijon mustard
50ml lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
Pea Puree
½ cup chicken stock
250g frozen peas
1 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp cream
Courgette Ribbons
2 courgettes
Asparagus
6 asparagus tips
Fish
4 portions of basa fillets
Salt
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp butter
3 sprigs thyme
2 cloves garlic
Lemon juice
Microherbs for garnish
4 tsp caviar
Method
Pickled Cauliflower
Cut the cauliflower into thumb-size florets. Slice the baby onion into 2mm thick rounds. Put the cauliflower and onion rings into a jar with the mustard seeds.
Heat the vinegar, water, sugar and salt in a saucepan over a medium heat. Allow it to simmer for 3 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved, then carefully pour it into the jar with the other ingredients. Close the jar and allow to cool. Refrigerate.
Savoury Thyme & Pine Nut Crumb
Preheat the oven to 180C.
Cut the chilled butter into small cubes, put it in a bowl with the flour, thyme leaves, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Use your fingers to rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles a crumb like texture. Add the pine nuts and rub them in.
Tip the crumble mixture onto a baking paper lined tray, spread it out evenly, and bake in the oven for about 20-25 minutes, until golden brown. Toss half way through the bake.
Lemon Dijon Sauce
Heat the butter in a pan over a medium-low heat. Once melted, add the garlic with a pinch of salt and saute for 5 minutes, until soft.
Deglaze with the fish stock. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and allow to simmer until reduced by half.
Add the cream and dijon, whisk through and bring to a simmer. Allow to simmer gently for 10 minutes.
Add the dijon mustard, lemon juice and zest.
Adjust season to taste with salt and pepper.
Strain through a sieve and set aside.
Pea Puree
Put the stock into a small saucepan on the stovetop. Bring to a boil, then add the peas. Allow to simmer on a medium heat for 2 minutes. Strain the stock from the peas, keeping the stock aside. Keep ⅓ cup of peas for the salad.
Tip the peas into a blender with the butter, cream, and a pinch of salt. Blend until smooth. If it’s too thick, add some stock, a tablespoon at a time. Pass the puree through a sieve to get rid of any lumps. Adjust seasoning to taste
Courgette Ribbons
Top and tail the courgettes. Use a peeler to get long ribbons.
Asparagus
Blanch the asparagus tips in salted water until just tender. Slice them in half lengthwaysand keep aside for plating.
Fish
Neatly trim the basa fillets and season with a pinch of salt.
Heat the olive oil in a pan over a medium-high heat. Once hot, add the basa fillets top side down. Allow them to cook for 3-4 minutes, until nice and golden.
Lower the heat slightly. Turn the fish and add the butter, thyme and garlic. Swirl the butter in the pan so it melts and becomes foamy, spooning the butter over the fish. Cook for a further 2 minutes. Squeeze in the lemon juice, then remove the fish from the pan.
Plating:
Spoon a heaped spoonful of the hot puree onto the plate. Use a zigzag pastry scraper, to smear the puree into a half circle.
Place the fish next to the puree, with some next to the fish and a little sprinkled on top. Arrange some asparagus spread next to the fish with the pickled onion and cauliflower. Place a courgette ribbon on the fish with a teaspoon of caviar.
Serve the lemon dijon sauce on the side.
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