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The Summertown Aristologists’s whiting with seaweed butter

If you haven't tried seaweed butter on fish, you must do.
Whiting with seaweed butterMark Roper
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“We source our fish directly from our fisherman, Justin Cicolella, who is part of the Fair Fish community-supported fishery,” says Oliver Edwards of Adelaide Hills’ The Summertown Aristologist. “A few times a week we have a chat about what he’s catching. Fish this good deserves to be the hero – a little seaweed 115 gm (1⁄2 cup) pearl barley butter and a squeeze of lemon is all it needs.”

Ingredients

Seaweed butter

Method

1.For seaweed butter, combine shallot, garlic, oil and a pinch of salt in a saucepan over low heat, and cook, stirring, until soft (15 minutes). Remove from heat.
2.Hold laver over a gas flame briefly with tongs until crisp and toasted, or roast under a low grill. Crush laver, add to shallot mixture and set aside to soften and cool (15 minutes). Add soy and vinegar and season with salt (about 1 tsp). Pulse in a food processor until a chunky paste forms, then fold through butter.
3.Preheat a charcoal or other barbecue to high. Lightly brush fish with oil and season with salt (ensure fish is at room temperature). Grill over indirect heat until skin is charred and fish is just cooked through (6-7 minutes each side).
4.Squeeze lemon over fish, sprinkle with sea salt flakes and top with a large spoonful of seaweed butter. Drizzle with oil and serve with watercress and lemon wedges.

Korean laver (toasted seaweed) is available from Asian supermarkets; substitute nori.

Drink suggestion: A fruitforward pinot noir, such as Lucy Margaux “Out of Control”. Drink suggestion by Aaron Fenwick.

Notes

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