Name: Barramundi with braised oxtail
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 180 min
Total time: 210 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1½ litres (6 cups) veal stock; 4 barramundi fillets (160gm each); 1 tbsp olive oil; 20 gm butter; 1 small garlic clove, finely chopped; 1 thyme sprig; To serve: coarsely torn flat-leaf parsley; Braised oxtail; 30 ml vegetable oil; 1 kg oxtail pieces; 1 onion, coarsely chopped; 1 carrot, coarsely chopped; 1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped; 3 garlic cloves; 2 thyme sprigs, leaves picked; 4 fresh bay leaves; 200 ml tawny Port; 6 white peppercorns; 1 star anise

“I enjoy doing variations of surf ‘n’ turf, a lot of people don’t really like it, but I think it works. The earthiness of the barramundi suits something stronger like the richness of the braised oxtail.” — Warren Turnbull

Shown with beetroot Lyonnaise.

Ingredients

1½ litres (6 cups) veal stock

4 barramundi fillets (160gm each)

1 tbsp olive oil

20 gm butter

1 small garlic clove, finely chopped

1 thyme sprig

To serve: coarsely torn flat-leaf parsley

Braised oxtail

30 ml vegetable oil

1 kg oxtail pieces

1 onion, coarsely chopped

1 carrot, coarsely chopped

1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped

3 garlic cloves

2 thyme sprigs, leaves picked

4 fresh bay leaves

200 ml tawny Port

6 white peppercorns

1 star anise

Method

Main

1.Bring veal stock to the boil in a large saucepan, then simmer over medium heat until reduced to 500ml (18-20 minutes).

2.For braised oxtail, preheat oven to 130C. Heat oil in a large frying pan, season oxtail, add to pan and cook over medium heat until fat renders and meat is golden brown (7-8 minutes), then transfer to a casserole. In the same frying pan, add vegetables and garlic and cook over medium heat until caramelised (5-6 minutes), then add to casserole. Add reduced veal stock, port and spices to casserole and bake, covered, until meat falls from the bone (1½-2 hours).

3.Remove oxtail, cool, then pick meat from bones (discard bones) and set aside. Strain cooking liquid through a fine sieve into a medium saucepan, cool, skim fat from surface and cook over medium heat until reduced to 500ml and sauce is sticky (7-8 minutes). Add oxtail, season to taste and keep warm.

4.Increase oven to 200C. Season barramundi to taste. Heat oil in a large oven-proof frying pan, add barramundi fillets skin-side down and cook over medium heat until skin is golden brown and crisp (4-5 minutes), transfer pan to oven and cook until just cooked through (6-7 minutes). Return to stove top, add butter, garlic and thyme, turn barramundi and cook over low heat, basting regularly with pan juices until skin is golden (2-3 minutes).

5.To serve, divide oxtail among bowls, top with a barramundi fillet, scatter over parsley and serve immediately with beetroot Lyonnaise.