It’s succulent. It’s crunchy. It’s sweet and sour. There are hints of South-East Asia and the American South in the marinade and crumb. A dish to impress.
I promised friends I’d share this recipe I created on the weekend. A similar dish featuring catfish and bran crumb, created by celebrated Dutch-born U.S. chef Victor Gielisse, was published in Karen Gantz Zahler’s Superchefs (John Wiley & Sons, 1996), but a comparison of the two recipes reveals multiple differences.
I chose basa for the way it retains its structure when cooked, for its mildness and versatility as a carrier of flavours, and because it’s economical to buy in Sydney. If you don’t eat basa, you could use another white fish such as cod or haddock.
If you don’t eat coriander (cilantro), a central ingredient to this dish, you could substitute fresh oregano.
Serves 4.
INGREDIENTS
For the cabbage:
1 red cabbage, cored and shredded
1 Granny Smith apple, cored, peeled and diced
2 rhubarb stems, cut into 2cm pieces
1 brown onion, peeled and diced
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)
2 tablespoons olive oil
100g pancetta
1 cup chicken stock
65g redcurrant jelly
For the marinade:
60 ml tamari
1 cup coriander leaves, finely chopped
2 shallots, white part only, chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
3 cm ginger root, finely grated
For the pecan crumb:
1 cup cornflakes
1 cup pecans, whole
1 cup panko (or gluten-free equivalent)
1 tablespoon freshly ground white pepper
rice flour for dusting fillets
For the fillets:
4 basa fillets
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup olive oil
coriander leaves, to garnish
METHOD
For the cabbage, combine the first eight ingredients in a large bowl, toss well, and set aside for two hours to allow the flavours to meld.
In a large pan, fry the pancetta until crisp and well browned. Add the cabbage mixture to the pan and stir to combine. Add the chicken stock, bring to the boil, then simmer for 40 minutes, stirring frequently. If the mixture gets too dry, add a little water.
Add the redcurrant jelly and simmer, stirring, for another 20 minutes or until the cabbage is very soft and the mixture is uniform in colour. Set aside and keep warm.
For the marinade, combine all marinade ingredients in a flat container and coat both sides of each fillet. Marinate for one hour (longer if desired), turning the fillets occasionally.
Preheat the oven to 180oC.
For the pecan crumb, place the first four ingredients in a food processor and process to a coarse crumb. Sprinkle rice flour on a large plate, and place crumb mixture on another plate, and place the whisked eggs in a bowl.
To prepare the fish, first remove the fillets from the marinade. You want a liberal amount of the herb mixture to remain with the fish. Drench each fillet in flour, then dip in the egg mixture and coat evenly with the crumb.
Heat oil in a clean pan and fry the fillets in batches until crisp and golden. Drain on paper towels and place on a pan in the oven for 5-6 minutes.
To serve, reheat the cabbage mixture and adjust the seasoning. Place a generous serving of cabbage in the centre of each plate, and top a fillet. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve.
iDigress 