INGREDIENTS:

Steamed Thai Seabass

• 1 x 400-500g sea bream (canoed and pin boned)
• 4 x spears of extra-large asparagus
• 1 x bunch of basil (picked and stalks discarded)
• 1 x bunch of flat leaf parsley (leaves picked and stalks discarded)
• 1 x bunch of tarragon (leaves picked and stalks discarded)
• 1 x bunch of chervil (chopped)
• 1 x bunch of chives (chopped)
• 100ml x olive oil
• 4 x slices of lardo di colonnata
• 1 x lemon
• 1 x handful of flowering herbs
• 2 x 250g of clarified butter
• 3 x egg yolks
• 2 x tbsp of white wine vinegar
• Sea salt
• Herb hollandaise

METHOD:

1. Start by placing a medium sized pot of water on a high heat. When the water comes to a slow simmer, place a metal bowl over the top of the pot, making sure the bottom of the bowl isn’t directly touching the simmering water.
2. Drop your egg yolks into the bowl with a splash of water and white wine vinegar. Whisk continuously, ensuring the yolks do not scramble (by keeping the water at a slow simmer and removing the bowl from pan when starts to get too hot.)
3. When the yolk mixture starts to look light in colour and can hold a figure of 8 created by your whisk for a few seconds, remove from the heat.
4. Melt your clarified butter in a pan and heat until just warm. Slowly pour the clarified butter into the yolk mixture stirring continuously until you have a thick, glossy hollandaise.
5. Season to preference with sea salt and fold through the chopped chives and chervil.
6. Pour into a serving dish and clingfilm until needed, leaving it at room temperature.

Herb puree

1. Bring another pan
2. water up to the rapid boil. Place your picked parsley, tarragon and basil into the boiling water for 30 seconds then remove and place the herbs directly into iced water.
3. When cold remove your herbs from the water and squeeze off any excess water.
4. Place in a blender and blend on its highest setting.
5. Slowly pour in the olive oil and blend until smooth. Season with salt and place in a pipping bag.

BBQ bream

1. Ask your fishmonger to canoe and pin bone your bream
2. Season your fish both inside and outside with salt.
3. Place your fish in a fish cage and place over the BBQ coals at medium heat.
4. Turn the fish regularly for approximately 10 mins or until the fish has a light char on either side and is cooked through.

To Dress

1. Cut the asparagus into 1cm pieces and blanch in rapidly seasoned boiling water for 1 minute.
2. Dress in a little olive oil.
3. Lay the slices of lardo on the fish covering every part except the head and tail.
4. Pipe small mounds of the herb puree all along the fish & place the asparagus over the top.
5. Squeeze over the lemon and garnish with flowering herbs.
6. Serve hollandaise on the side.