Seared Barramundi Fillet

Recipe Categories : | All Seafood | Barramundi | MAIN INDEX |

Preparation Time : less than 30 mins   Cooking Time : 30 min - 1 hour Serves : 4

Ingredients :

• 4 x 200g portions of barramundi, cut from a skinless fillet
• 600g waxy potatoes
• 2 branches basil
• 1 branch bush basil
• 400g washed rocket leaves
• 100g unsalted butter
• 2 garlic bulbs
• 1 large fennel
• 2 plum tomatoes
• 6 tbsp salted capers
• 2 lemons, juiced
• 200ml white wine
• 200ml extra virgin olive oil
• 500g fresh live clams

Preparation and Cooking Instructions :

1. For Rocket Pesto, Fennel Clams and Caper Sauce : Wash and boil the potatoes in salted water until tender.
2. Drain off the water and peel while still warm. Slice into discs ¼" thick.
3. Trim the outer layer of the fennel and dice into ½" cubes.
4. Gently heat the olive oil, add the fennel with 3 cloves of crushed garlic and the basil. Cook gently without coloring for 5 minutes and add the wine and lemon juice, season. Continue to cook gently until the fennel is translucent and tender. Cool in the juices.
5. When the fennel is cool, remove the garlic and basil, leaving the fennel in its own juices. (Top up with extra virgin olive oil if needed)
6. Roast the garlic whole in the oven and when soft squeeze out the flesh. Blanch and refresh the tomatoes, peel off the skin and remove the seeds, dice the flesh into ¼" cubes.
7. Soak the capers in plenty of cold water to remove the salt.
8. Blanch the rocket in salted boiling water, drain and blend to a thick paste with the butter and roast garlic. Season with salt and pepper.
9. Steam open the clams with white wine in a very hot pan with a tight fitting lid.
10. To assemble : Pan-fry the barramundi fillets in oil and butter.
11. Warm the fennel compote with the tomato dice and capers. Stir with the clams.
12. Set the fish on top and cook for 5 minutes in a warm oven.
13. Warm the rocket pesto in a pot on the stove.
14. Sauté the potato discs in butter until they are golden; season and sprinkle with the finely chopped chervil. Arrange in the center of the plate.
15. Place the cooked barramundi on top of the potatoes and spoon the clams and fennel compote over and around the fish.
16. Put a spoon of the rocket pesto on top the barramundi.