GREEN LISTED ANGELFISH WITH NORI-SESAME CRISP, GREEN SMUDGE AND MOSS

AvatarCaxton magazines staffFish & seafoodRecipes

Angelfish is a popular dish in many parts of Africa, and there’s no doubt why. This recipe includes many elements but comes together beautifully as a whole

INGREDIENTS

350g angelfish, skinless and boneless, cut into small cubes (5 cubes per person)

For the marinade

  • 60g salted butter
  • 200g onions, finely chopped
  • 30ml freshly squeezed lemon Juice
  • 90ml soya sauce
  • 15ml sesame seed oil

For the rocket water

  • 250ml water
  • 30g fresh rocket

For the fresh green vegetables

  • 50g asparagus, hold both ends of the asparagus and bend, allowing the asparagus to snap. Throw away the bottom piece and keep the tip, with this make thin shavings using a peeler
  • 50g cucumber, thinly sliced, not using the inside seeds
  • 25g leeks, thinly sliced
  • 12,5g celery, thinly sliced
  • 6g spring onions, cut rounds thinly
  • 2.5g chives, snipped
  • 25g apple, thinly sliced

For the green smudge

  • Rocket water
  • 45ml olive oil

For the avocado puree

  • 1-2 avocados
  • 15ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • salt and black pepper

For the nori crisp

  • 15ml cake flour
  • 30ml water
  • 40ml black sesame seeds, roasted
  • 40ml white sesame seeds, roasted
  • 4 sheets nori seaweed
  • Sunflower oil, for frying

Moss – taken from any damp spot in your garden, soaked for 3 days in water (water changed regularly).

Green micro herbs

METHOD

To make the marinade

  • In a frying pan, heat the butter and allow to melt, add the onions. Allow the onions to sauté on a low heat.
  • Add the lemon juice, soya sauce and sesame seed oil, bring the mixture to the boil, and allow to simmer for about 1 minute, then remove from the heat.
  • Place the mixture into a blender and blend for 5 seconds on a high speed.
  • Place into a bowl, allow slight cooling, add the angelfish cubes to this mixture, cover and allow this to cure for about 1 hour.

To make the rocket water

Blend the water and rocket together. Strain through a fine sieve and set aside.

To make the fresh green vegetables

Mix all the vegetables together and add ¾ of the rocket water to this. Season with salt and black pepper and combine. Allow to stand for 30 minutes.

To make the green smudge

Lightly whisk the remaining rocket water and olive oil together, this will form a split sauce to be drizzled around the dish just before serving.

To make the avocado puree

Mash the avocado through a fine sieve, add the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Place into a piping bag and set aside.

To make the nori crisp

  • Mix the flour and water together to form a paste.
  • Combine the roasted black and white sesame seeds.
  • Place one sheet nori with the shiny side facing down. Brush the inside with the paste, sprinkle over half the sesame seeds. Brush another nori sheet with the paste and stick the two sheets together. Repeat with the remaining two sheets.
  • Using scissors cut the nori sheets into blocks.
  • Fry them in heated oil until crispy and place onto paper towelling.

Putting the dish together

  • Place a small bunch of the marinated vegetables in the middle of the serving plate.
  • Arrange 5 cubes of fish onto and around this.
  • Pipe 5 blobs of avocado puree in between, sticking micro herbs into them.
  • Break the fried sesame seed nori into pieces, placing them in between, 5 small pieces.
  • Arrange 3 pieces of moss in between this.
  • Drizzle the green smudge rocket water over the dish.

(This recipe serves 6 people)