This is a dish I cook for my private cheffing clients who want big, fresh flavours and simple technique letting the beautiful wild seafood shine through. Crispy-skin fish, a bright herb-packed chermoula that melts over the warm fish, and a crunchy fennel, orange and zucchini salad to balance it all. It’s vibrant, summery and built for outdoor cooking.
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS
4 x 200-gram NZ salmon or kingfish fillets, skin on
extra virgin olive oil for rubbing
sea salt and ground pepper
CHERMOULA
pinch of saffron threads (optional)
1 large bunch parsley leaves and tender stems (you’ll need about 1 tightly packed cup)
1 large bunch coriander, leaves and tender stems (you’ll need about 1 tightly packed cup)
3–4 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon each ground cumin and sweet or smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
100–120ml olive oil
1–2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or extra lemon juice, to balance
FENNEL, ORANGE AND ZUCCHINI SALAD
2 oranges
1 large fennel bulb, very thinly sliced and fronds reserved
1 zucchini, shaved into ribbons with a peeler
1 red chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced (optional)
DRESSING
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 small clove garlic, crushed
sea salt and ground pepper
METHOD
FISH: Preheat a barbecue or cast-iron grill to medium-high. Pat the fish fillets dry, rub lightly with olive oil, and season the skin generously with sea salt and ground pepper. Cook the fish skin-side down for about 6 minutes until the skin is crisp and the fish is about 80 percent cooked. Flip the fillets and add a large spoonful of chermoula over each one. Lower the heat and let the heat melt the chermoula as the fish finishes cooking. The fish will be done when you can insert a skewer with little to no resistance.
CHERMOULA: If using saffron, soak it in 1 tablespoon of hot water for 5 minutes. Put the parsley, coriander, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, cumin, paprika and salt in a blender or food processor. Add the saffron and its soaking liquid, if using. Blend while streaming in the olive oil until the sauce is smooth and spoonable. Adjust the seasoning with extra salt, vinegar or lemon juice.
FENNEL, ORANGE AND ZUCCHINI SALAD: Segment the oranges over a bowl to catch the juice. Place the orange segments in a second bowl with the fennel and zucchini. Whisk the dressing ingredients into the reserved orange juice and season with salt and pepper. Toss enough dressing through the salad to lightly coat and garnish with fennel fronds and red chilli, if using, before serving.
To serve, spoon a generous base of chermoula onto each plate. Place the fish on top, skin-side up. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and a little extra sea salt if needed. Serve with the fennel, orange and zucchini salad.
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126
We start by sharing what’s on the dish team’s radar, what we’re watching, listening to and reading. Harry Butterfield puts a twist on his Nonna’s agnolotti, Malissa Fedele reminds us of the importance of fibre, and Phoebe Holden fulfils a long-held dream, sitting down with Yotam Ottolenghi. Autumn is an abundant time, we make the most with pumpkin, kūmara, cabbage, cauliflower, feijoas, apples and pears. We’re dishing up dinners for two, including a Chicken Dumpling Lasagne, alongside easy weeknight meals. We honour our mums, revisit timeless classics, and add a little baking challenge. This issue, we encourage you to slow down, to enjoy writing your shopping list, and spending time in the kitchen. Because even when life feels relentless, there’s always space to share something delicious.