crispy skin barramundi

GET A TASTE OF SILICA AT HOME WITH THIS FISH DISH THAT’S SURE TO DELIGHT!

Recipe & image Silica Restaurant

barramundi crispy skin with smoked bacon, squid & snow peas

Serves 4

Barramundi

4x 200g barramundi fillets, skin on 50ml vegetable oil 50g butter fennel tips and samphire sprigs, to serve

Celeriac puree

50g butter 30ml olive oil ½ brown onion, sliced ½ clove garlic, sliced 400g celeriac, peeled and sliced 100ml milk 100ml pouring cream Smoked bacon, squid & snow peas

200g smoked bacon, cut into lardons 200g squid, cleaned and thinly sliced 400g snow peas, trimmed 30g butter Method

1. For the celeriac puree, place the butter and oil in a pan over a medium heat. Sauté the onion and garlic until transparent, then add the celeriac and cook until slightly softened. Stir through the milk and cream and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the celeriac is very soft. Pour into a blender and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, pass through a fine sieve and keep warm. 2. For the squid, bacon and snow peas, in a small pot, heat a splash of olive oil over medium heat.Add the bacon, sauté for 2 minutes, then stir in the squid. Mix in the snow peas and the butter, then continue cooking until the peas are tender. Cover and keep warm. 3. To cook the fish, preheat an oven to 220C. Season the fish with sea salt, then sear skin-side down in vegetable oil in an oven-proof pan over a medium heat. Cook for 3 minutes, then transfer to the oven to cook for a further 2-3 minutes.Turn over, then add the butter to the pan and spoon over the skin until golden brown. 4. To serve, spoon the celeriac puree onto each plate followed by the bacon, snow peas and squid. Top with the barramundi. Using an immersion blender, froth the reserved squid liquid and spoon over the dish. Finish with a scattering of fennel tips and samphire sprigs. ¡

TOP TIP: To optimise any seafood dish, it’s important to use the freshest fish possible.Talk to your local fish monger, the barramundi in this recipe can be substituted with any other white fish, like snapper or blue eye cod. Samphire can be foraged from our local coastline, just make sure to give it a good wash before use.