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Salad of red mullet with lime and ginger
Serves 4 as a starter
Preparation time
30 mins to 1 hour
Cooking time
10 to 30 mins
Ingredients
For the marinade50ml/2fl oz white wine vinegar3-4 limes, juice only6 lime leaves1 small carrot, very finely sliced1 small onion, very finely sliced1 small clove garlic, squashed flat1 small, fresh red chilli, deseeded and very finely sliced1 tsp palm sugar, more if needed2 whole star anise1 tsp coriander seeds10 white peppercornssalt8 black peppercorns80ml/3fl oz olive oilFor the mulleta little olive oil, for fryingsalt and freshly ground black pepper2 red mullet, filletedsmall knob of fresh ginger, about 1cm/½inch long, grateda little parsley, finely chopped rye bread, to serve
Method
Pour the wine vinegar and lime juice into a stainless steel saucepan. Add the lime leaves, scrunching them slightly to release their fragrance as you go. Scrub the carrot and slice it as finely as paper - you should almost be able to see through it - then peel the onion and slice that similarly. Drop them into the pan together with the garlic, peeled and squashed flat (you just want the merest whiff), the chilli, the palm sugar (though you may need to add some more later), the star anise, coriander seeds and white peppercorns. Bring the lot to the boil, add a good pinch of salt and eight black peppercorns, then pour in the olive oil and let the mixture simmer for a minute or two. You want the onion to soften slightly. Heat off, lid on, and leave to settle.Warm a little olive oil in a non-stick frying pan. Season the red mullet fillets with salt and black pepper and lay them in the hot oil, skin-side down. Cook them lightly on one side - which will mean keeping the heat high and letting them colour underneath - then turn them over and let them colour on the other side. Lift them from the pan with a fish slice or palette knife and place them in a shallow dish.Grate the ginger into the marinade and stir in the chopped parsley. Taste it, adding a little more palm sugar if you think it needs it. It should have a kick to it. Spoon it over the fish and leave to cool.Lift the fish on to plates and spoon over the vegetables and liquor. Serve triangles of rye bread on the side, buttered if you must.
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