I found some beautiful fresh bonito in a local fish monger that I really wanted to try. I wasn't too sure how I was going to cook it until I realised I have some leftover purple cauliflower in the fridge that I could pickle, and tie the elements together with an earthy umami potato lentil miso puree. And voila, Monday dinner is served.
Difficulty: Medium
Time: 1 hour*
Serves: 2
* Cooking time only. If you would want to cure the fish start the preparation 3 hours earlier.
Ingredients
Torched Bonito
- 2 bonito fillets
- 1/2 cup salt
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 tbsp lemon zest
- 1/2 tbsp lime zest
Pickled Purple Cauliflower
- 1/4 purple cauliflower thinly sliced with mandolin
- 1/2 cup verjus
- salt
Potato Lentil Miso
- 1/4 cup red lentil
- 1/2 potato diced to 5mm cubes
- 1 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 2 tsp good quality white miso
Method
1. Start by curing the bonito fillet. Mix the salt, sugar, lemon and lime zest well. Coat the fish fillets with the mixture and refrigerate for 3 hours. Rinse off the mixture once done and dry the fish fillets with paper towel. Cut it to size for plating and score lightly across the skin.
2. Season the thinly sliced purple cauliflower with salt, cover it in verjus and set aside to pickle.
3. Cook lentil in 3/4 cup chicken stock, bring to boil then simmer for 10 minutes until full softened. Add slightly more stock if needed.
4. Cook potatoes in remaining chicken stock until softened.
5. Add the cooked lentil, potato, and 2 tablespoon of cooking liquid to a blender with the miso, blend it together into a smooth. Add more liquid if needed to achieve the consistency required. Taste and adjust flavour if necessary. Keep warm and set aside.
4. Heat the oven to 200 degrees, cover the bonito fillets with oil, cook in oven for 5 minutes or until just cooked through. Take it out and blow torch the skin until it's blistering.
5. Plate by placing the pickled cauliflower on the plate on one side, followed by the bonito fillet. Pipe on the potato lentil miso puree.