Crispy skinned snapper with creamy garlic lentils and nicoise vegetables

David Rottenberg

Crispy skinned snapper with creamy garlic lentils and nicoise vegetables

Ingredients

1 carrot, halved length wise
1 stick celery
1 small onion
1 head garlic
1 cup lentils (French puy lentils preferred)
3 cups water or chicken stock

Method

Add all ingredients to a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until lentils are tender. Strain. Remove and discard vegetables. Cool and cover lentils with plastic wrap until needed.

Ingredients

7 artichokes, trimmed into buttons with the choke removed
2 medium zucchini, sliced thinly, length wise
500g broad beans, young tender ones, shelled
1 head fennel, outer layer removed, cut into fine julienne
water
lemon

Method

To a bowl of water add juice of 1 lemon. Set aside.

Cut off the stem of the artichokes. Hold the artichoke with the bottom up, bend the leaves back until they snap, then peel off until the pale inner leaves are exposed. Cut off the remaining leaves just at the top of the base.

With a small sharp knife, peel off all the green areas left on the base. Scoop out the choke with a teaspoon. Put into the lemon water.

Slice the artichokes into 1/8 inch (0.3cm) thick slices. In a medium sized saute pan, heat grapeseed oil over medium heat and saute artichokes. Stir frequently until golden and tender. Remove and set aside.

Prepare a bowl of iced water.

Blanch the zucchini slices in boiling, salted water for 30 seconds. Refresh in ice water. Remove and set aside.

Blanch broad beans in boiling, salted water for 1 minute. Refresh in iced water. Remove. Peel off outer membrane, exposing the bean. Set beans aside until later.

In a medium saute pan, heat grapeseed oil over medium heat, add fennel and saut (do not let it get any colour) until soft. Remove and combine all the vegetables into one bowl and set aside.

Ingredients

1 medium carrot, peeled, smallest dice possible
1 stick celery, peeled, smallest dice possible
1 small brown onion, peeled, smallest dice possible

In a medium saute pan, heat grapeseed oil over low to medium heat, until warm. Add the vegetables and sweat until soft. Stir occasionally. Do not allow the vegetables to colour at all. Set aside.

Ingredients

5 sticks celery, coarsely chopped
1 medium brown onion, coarsely chopped
1 white leek
1 sprig thyme
4 cloves garlic, unpeeled
1 sprig fresh parsley
2 cups dry white wine
2 cups water

Method

Heat a little Grapeseed oil in a saucepan over med.-low heat. Sweat vegetables and herbs until vegetables are quite soft. Do not brown vegetables at all. Add wine and simmer for 1 hour. Add water and simmer 20 mins. Strain

Presentation

Ingredients

6 pieces snapper, skin on
cup Vegetable Nage
1/4 cup butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup shallots, finely diced
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
1/4 cup chives, finely chopped

Method

In a saucepan combine the Lentils, Brunoise of Vegetables, shallots and parsley. Warm over low to medium flame, adding a small amount of water or vegetable stock so that the lentils do not stick to the pan. When hot season with salt and pepper, add the butter and stir until dissolved. Keep warm but do not boil.

In a large saute pan, heat some Grapeseed oil over high heat. Add a small piece of butter and swirl in the pan until it turns light brown. Add the fish, skin side down and let brown. Season top side of the fish with salt and pepper and carefully turn the fillets over. Reduce the heat to medium-low.

In another saucepan heat the Vegetable Nage until just boiling, add the other of butter and whisk into sauce until completely dissolved. Add the chives, keep warm but do not boil.

At the same time in another large saucepan heat the nicoise vegetables over medium high heat with some grapeseed oil and butter. Spoon the lentils into the centre of a large bowl or plate. Spoon some nicoise Vegetables on top of the lentils, then place a snapper fillet on the vegetables, skin side up. Spoon the warm sauce over the fish.