2022 Giro d’Italia - Champion’s Meal.
One last entry for the 2022 Italian Culinary Ridealong. Jai Hindley took the lead with only one stage left, held off any challenge from Richard Carapaz in Verona, and took home the Maglia Rosa and Amore Infinito trophy. Jai hails from Perth in western Australia, so I finally get to make a meal from a new continent! Perth is along the coast and it’s food definitely takes on influences from “neighboring” SE Asia. Tonight, I prepared a grilled sea bass (aka barramundi) and topped it with a radish top pesto and grilled radishes. I served it up along an Asian slaw with fresh mangoes and what is currently in-season in Australia: navel oranges and avocado. The slaw has an Asian-style dressing, and some heat which I offset with honey and added a little ground peanut for extra texture. We enjoyed our meal with a nice glass of Embers Australian Chardonnay from Flametree.
Grilled Barramundi with Radish-greens Pesto and Asian Slaw
Barramundi
4 sea bass filets
Olive oil
Sea salt
Radish Pesto
1 bunch of radishes, greens separated and rinsed thoroughly
2 tbsp pine nuts
Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese
Extra-virgin olive oil
SE Asian Slaw
2 handfuls of roasted peanuts
9 oz bag of prepared slaw
Navel orange, supremed
Red pepper, minced
2 mangoes, peeled and diced
10 leaves of fresh mint, chiffonade
Handful of cilantro, roughly chopped
3 scallions, sliced on the bias
2 avocado, diced
Lime
Serrano pepper, thinly sliced
1.5 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sesame oil
Microgreens
Honey
Grind your peanuts and set aside in a bowl.
Preheat a grill on medium high heat for 15 minutes. Clean and oil the grates and allow to come back to temperature, another 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, take the washed greens from the radish and combine with the pine nuts, some grated parmesan and some black pepper and blend to combine. Add some evoo and blend further. Reserve.
Halve the radish bulbs and toss with olive oil and season with a pinch of sea salt. Reserve.
Toss the slaw into a bowl. Using a knife, peel off the rind and pith from the orange over the bowl to allow any juice to land on the slaw. Then, supreme the orange (slice down the inside of the membrane wall of each orange segment allowing the pulpy citrus to fall into the slaw) and discard the remaining membrane. Add in the red pepper, mangoes, herbs, scallions, and avocado.
Juice the lime over the salad. Sprinkle over the serrano pepper. In a jar combine the vinegar, soy sauce and sesame oil. Shake until emulsified and pour over the slaw. Sprinkle on some salt and toss together. Let sit.
Brush your fish lightly with oil and season with sea salt. Place the cut halves of the radishes down on one side of the grill. Place the fish down on the other side of the grill and cook covered for 4 minutes. Flip the radishes and fish and continue to cook for 2 more minutes, covered. Remove everything from the grill, but keeping them separated.
Place a filet on a plate, re-blend the pesto briefly and spoon some on the fish filets. Add some microgreens to the plate and add on some slaw. Drizzle the slaw with honey and sprinkle on some chopped peanuts. Add some radishes to the plate and serve.
______________________________
Copyright 2022, Brendan McCann, All Rights Reserved.
Comments