Chef's Recipes

White pepper-cured kingfish with lardo, Avruga and rye crisps

Australian Gourmet Traveller fast seafood entree recipe for white pepper-cured kingfish with lardo, Avruga and rye crisps by Ben Shewry

By Ben Shewry
  • 20 mins preparation
  • 10 mins cooking plus curing
  • Serves 6
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White pepper-cured kingfish with lardo, Avruga and rye crisps

Ingredients

  • 1½ tbsp fennel seeds
  • 1½ tbsp white peppercorns
  • 165 gm (¾ cup) white sugar
  • 90 gm (¾ cup) sea salt
  • 500 gm piece of kingfish, bloodline and skin removed
  • 200 gm stale light rye sourdough bread, crusts removed, chilled
  • For brushing: olive oil
  • 100 gm very thinly sliced lardo (see note)
  • 100 gm fromage blanc (see note)
  • To serve: Avruga (see note), micro-cress and lemon-infused extra-virgin olive oil

Method

Main
  • 1
    Combine fennel seeds and peppercorns in a mortar and, using a pestle, pound until coarsely ground. Combine with sugar and salt in a bowl, mix well and set aside.
  • 2
    Halve kingfish into sashimi-style long logs. Lay one piece on a large piece of plastic wrap, cover with half the fennel mixture on all sides and roll up tightly. Repeat with remaining kingfish and fennel mixture and refrigerate for 4 hours. Remove plastic wrap, rinse fish under cold water to wash off excess fennel mixture and pat dry with absorbent paper. Cut into 2cm dice and set aside.
  • 3
    Meanwhile, preheat oven to 120C. Using a sharp knife, very thinly slice rye bread, place on an oven tray, brush lightly with olive oil and season to taste with sea salt. Cook until crisp but not coloured (about 10 minutes).
  • 4
    To serve, arrange kingfish on plates, lay small pieces of torn lardo over, dot fromage blanc in the gaps, scatter Avruga and micro-cress over, drizzle with lemon-infused oil and serve with rye crisps.

Notes

Lardo (pork fat cured prosciutto-style) is available from specialist butchers such as
. Fromage blanc is a soft curd cheese available from select delicatessens. Avruga, smoked Spanish herring caviar substitute, is available from select fishmongers and delicatessens.

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