Recipe by Claire Ferrandi
Sustainably famer kabeljou with guava achar, spring salad and ciabatta toasts
Ingredients
- Guava achar
- 400g (about 4) fresh guavas
- 1 green chilli, halved lengthways and seeded
- 22,5ml (1½ tbsp) garam masala spice
- 60ml (¼ cup) white spirit vinegar
- 5ml (1 tsp) salt
- 1 fresh/dried bay leaf
- small handful fresh dill, roughly chopped
- Salad dressing
- 30ml (2 tbsp) white wine vinegar
- juice of ½ lemon
- ½ garlic clove, peeled and crushed
- 5ml (1 tsp) Dijon mustard
- 60ml (¼ cup) olive oil
- 10ml (2 tsp) water
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Chargrilled guavas
- 2 guavas, cut into wedges
- 15ml (1 tbsp) olive oil
- Ciabatta toasts
- 100g butter
- 15ml (1 tbsp) olive oil
- ½ ciabatta loaf, sliced
- salt, to taste
- Fish
- 30ml (2 tbsp) olive oil
- 100g butter
- 600g farmed kabeljou/ sustainable firm white fish, cut into 4 portions
- zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 15ml (1 tbsp) fresh dill, roughly chopped
- 15ml (1 tbsp) fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Spring salad
- 2 avocados, halved and chopped
- 5 (about 150g) mini cucumbers/½ large cucumber, shaved into ribbons using a vegetable peeler
- 60g baby herb salad leaves
- 2 large carrots, peeled and shaved into ribbons using a vegetable peeler (optional)
- 2 radishes, finely sliced (optional)
Instructions
For the achar, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the whole guavas and cook, 20 minutes.
While the guavas are boiling, mix together the chilli, masala, white spirit vinegar, salt, bay leaf and dill in a bowl.
Allow the guavas to cool a little, about 10 minutes. Slice some into quarters and some in half. Mix the cut guavas with the vinegar mixture, mashing some of the guava flesh.
For the dressing, whisk together the white wine vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, mustard, 60ml (¼ cup) olive oil and water in a small bowl. Season to taste and set aside.
For the chargrilled guavas, heat a griddle pan or braai over high heat. Brush the guavas with the 15ml (1 tbsp) oil and chargrill, about 1 minute on each side. Set aside.
For the toasts, if braaiing, melt the 100g butter, mix with the 15ml (1 tbsp) oil and brush over the ciabatta slices. Toast on the braai over hot coals, 1 minute per side. If making the toasts on a stove, heat the butter and olive oil in a large griddle pan over high heat. Toast the slices in batches, about 1 minute per side. Sprinkle with salt to taste and set aside.
For the fish, if braaiing, melt the 30ml (2 tbsp) olive oil and 100g butter together. Brush over the fish and braai the fish over hot coals, about 3 minutes per side. If cooking the fish on the stove, melt the olive oil and butter over high heat in a large frying pan. Fry the fish in batches, 3 minutes per side. Once the fish is cooked, squeeze over some lemon juice, sprinkle over the lemon zest, dill and parsley and season to taste.
To assemble, toss the the salad ingredients in the dressing and arrange on 4 plates or a large serving platter. Either cut the fish into smaller portions or serve as larger portions and arrange alongside the salad, together with the chargrilled guavas and ciabatta toasts.
