BBC Food


Seared Barramundi Fillet with Rocket Pesto Fennel Clams and Caper Sauce

Serge Dansereau

by Serge Dansereau
from Saturday Kitchen
Serves 4
other
Preparation time less than 30 mins Email this recipeEmail this recipe
Cooking time 30 mins to 1 hour  
Ingredients

4 x 200g/7oz portions of wild barramundi cut from a skinless fillet
600g/1lb5oz waxy potatoes such as Charlotte and Belle de Fontenay varieties
2 branches basil
1 branch bush basil
400g/1lb washed rocket leaves
100g/3½oz unsalted butter
2 garlic bulbs
1 large fennel
2 plum tomatoes
6tbsp/90ml salted capers
2 lemons, juiced
200ml/7fl oz white wine
200ml/7fl oz extra virgin olive oil
500g/1lb2oz fresh live clams

Method

1. Wash and boil the potatoes in salted water until tender.
2. Drain off the water and peel while still warm. Slice into discs ½cm/¼in thick.
4. Trim the outer layer of the fennel and dice into 1cm/½in cubes.
5. Gently heat the olive oil, add the fennel with 3 cloves of crushed garlic and the basil. Cook gently without colouring for 5 minutes and add the wine and lemon juice, season. Continue to cook gently until the fennel is translucent and tender. Cool in the juices.
6. When the fennel is cool, remove the garlic and basil, leaving the fennel in its own juices. (Top up with extra virgin olive oil if needed)
7. Roast the garlic whole in the oven and when soft squeeze out the flesh.
Blanch and refresh the tomatoes, peel off the skin and remove the seeds, dice the flesh into ½ cm/¼in cubes.
8. Soak the capers in plenty of cold water to remove the salt.
9. Blanch the rocket in salted boiling water, drain and blend to a thick paste with the butter and roast garlic. Season with salt and pepper.
10. Steam open the clams with white wine in a very hot pan with a tight fitting lid.

To assemble:
1. Pan-fry the barramundi fillets in oil and butter.
2. Warm the fennel compote with the tomato dice and capers.
Stir with the clams.
3. Set the fish on top and cook for 5 minutes in a warm oven.
4. Warm the rocket pesto in a pot on the stove.
5. Saute the potato discs in butter until they are golden; season and sprinkle with the finely chopped chervil. Arrange in the centre of the plate.
6. Place the cooked barramundi on top of the potatoes and spoon the clams and fennel compote over and around the fish.
7. Put a spoon of the rocket pesto on top the barramundi.