Barramundi with Smoky Eggplant Purée, Confit Fennel & a Citrus Sauce

Name: Barramundi with Smoky Eggplant Purée, Confit Fennel & a Citrus Sauce
Yield: Serves 6
Cuisine: Australian
Ingredients: 300 ml extra virgin olive oil; 3 wide strips of orange zest, with all pith removed; 1 teaspoon green peppercorns [in brine], well-rinsed; 1-2 lemons; 3 sprigs thyme; salt and freshly ground white pepper; 2 small eggplants; pinch of salt; 1 clove garlic, peeled; 3 teaspoons coriander seeds, dry-roasted in a frying pan until aromatic then pounded to a powder and sieved; 3 small fennel bulbs; 2 oranges; juice of 1-2 limes; 50 g unsalted butter, cut into small pieces; olive oil; 6 x 180-200 g barramundi fillets; 100 ml strong veal stock; 2 tablespoons sugar; 1 eschalot, finely diced

Preparation info

Serves
6

Difficulty
Complex

Appears in

French

By Damien Pignolet

Published 2005

About

The recipe is a little involved but is worth the effort as the complex flavours of the fennel and eggplant marry so well with the sweetness of the barramundi. To streamline preparation, the confit fennel and the eggplant purée can be made the day before and the sauce can be prepared a few hours in advance, leaving only the fish to take care of at the last minute.