SERVES 4 TIME: 3 DAYS PREP, 3 DAYS 15 MINUTES TOTAL
Seared Hawaiian Kanpachi with Cauliflower Romesco
BY CHEF RICHARD POLHEMUS
HAWAIIAN KANPACHI WITH CAULIFLOWER ROMESCO
Part: FILLET
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 cups Romanesco
- 1 cup fresh shucked corn
- 4 6-ounce pieces skin on Hawaiian Kanpachi fillets
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Vegetable or grapeseed oil for searing the fish
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Few sprigs of thyme
- 1 cup cauliflower romesco (recipe follows)
- 2 tablespoons carrot giardiniera (recipe follows)
Cauliflower Romesco:
- 2 cups cauliflower, cut into small florets
- 1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
- 1 tablespoon (3 cloves), peeled garlic
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon preserved lemon, pith removed, use only the rind
- 1 tablespoon white anchovy
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Sea salt
Carrot Giardiniera:
- 1 tablespoon peeled and medium diced carrots
- 1 tablespoon medium diced cauliflower
- ½ cup water
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
PREPARATION
Roasting the Vegetables:
Preheat an oven to 400F and place Romanesco and corn on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper. At Beach Tree Cafe we blanch both ingredients prior to roasting to speed up the process, but it is not necessary. If Romanesco (an heirloom variety of cauliflower) is not available, white cauliflower can be substituted. Roast both vegetables until golden brown, approximately 12 minutes.
Pan Searing Hawaiian Kanpachi:
Season kanpachi fillets generously with salt and pepper on all sides. Preheat two skillets on medium high heat, before adding a small amount of oil to each pan. Place two fillets in each pan, skin side down, and sear for two minutes, before reducing the heat to medium. The fish is only cooked on the skin side. We never turn the fish over. We call this process “vertical sear”. It ensures crispy skin while keeping the fish tender and flaky. At this point, add 2 tablespoons of butter and several sprigs of thyme to each pan. As butter melts, repeatedly spoon the hot butter over the tops of a fish to baste it. Continue doing this until the fish reaches an internal temperature of 130F. Then set aside to rest for several minutes while starting to plate the dish.
Cauliflower Romesco:
Blanch cauliflower florets in salted, boiling water for 3 minutes, then shock in an ice bath to stop the cooking. Repeat a similar technique with garlic. Place garlic cloves into a small pot, cover them with cold water then bring to a boil. Strain and repeat this process three times, changing water every time. When done, shock the garlic in an ice bath to stop the cooking. This process removes astringency in garlic, taking away unpleasant flavors and enhancing the desirable ones. Once finished blanching the vegetables, place the cauliflower, pine nuts, garlic, ground coriander, preserved lemon, anchovy and extra virgin olive oil into a high-powered blender and blend until smooth. Salt to taste, then set aside until ready to plate. This sauce will keep in the refrigerator for about a week.
Carrot Giardiniera:
Place carrots, cauliflower, water, and salt into a sanitized glass jar fitted with lid suited for fermentation. These types of lids allow the contents of the jar to release gas, without allowing air in. If a fermentation lid is not available, use a normal lid with simple seal. Be sure to open the jar once a day to release the pressure. Store the jar and its contents at room temperature for three days, checking daily. Do your best to keep the carrots and cauliflower submerged the entire time. After three days, strain the carrots and cauliflower, setting aside the liquid for a different use. This liquid can be used as component in a sauce, vinaigrette, or marinade. Toss the fermented vegetables in extra virgin olive oil, and whatever herbs you have available. Set aside until ready to use. The giardiniera will keep in the refrigerator for up to a month.
Plating the dish:
Place a spoonful of romesco sauce on the bottom of the plate. Then place the fish, crisped skin side up in the center of the sauce. Follow with roasted vegetables surrounding the fish. Finally garnish with a small amount of carrot giardiniera on top of each piece of fish and serve right away. Buon Appetito!