West Australian Barramundi

Recipe by Executive Chef Warrick Hilli, Kingston Heath Golf Club, Melbourne, Australia
Image by Diana DeLucia

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Serves 4

Ingredients

Barramundi

• 2¼ lbs West Australian Cone Bay Barramundi Filet

Risotto

• 3 Shallots (diced)
• 1¾ oz Butter
• 2 cloves Garlic (diced)
• 1 Bay Leaf
• ½ lb Arborio Rice
• ⅓ cup Chardonnay
• 4 cups Fish Stock

Morton Bay Bugs

• ½ lb Broad Beans
• 1 Tomato
• 1¼ Tbs Canola Oil
• 8 Morton Bay Bugs

Sweet Corn Purée

• 2 Corn Cobs (with husks)
• 4 cups Water
• 2 Shallots
• 2 cloves Garlic
• ¼ lb Butter
• Sea Salt and Cracked Pepper to taste

Garnish

• 2 punnets Micro-Herbs

Preparation

Barramundi

Clean the barramundi filet by removing any scales, trim any belly pieces and cut into 4 equal pieces, making vertical slits into the skin as shown in the picture. Cover and refrigerate.

Cook the barramundi skin-side down on a grill or pan for 5-6 minutes until the skin is crispy. Turn over and cook for another 4-5 minutes then set aside in a warm place.

Risotto

In a pot, sauté the shallots in butter with a little oil.

After 5 minutes add the garlic and bay leaf.

Add the rice and chardonnay. Pour the fish stock over the rice to cover it by approximately 2-3cm, then turn the heat down very low and place a lid on the pot. Stir only a few times.

Let the fish stock absorb into the rice, add more stock if required, then remove from stove.

Morton Bay Bugs

Remove the outer skin of the broad beans and set aside.

Blanch the tomato, deseed, dice and set aside.

Place some canola oil in a pan and cook the bug tails until golden.

Add the risotto and broad beans, adding more fish stock if required, then finally fold in the diced tomato.

Sweet Corn Purée

Remove all corn cobs from the husks with a sharp knife and set aside.

Roughly chop the corn husks into chunks and simmer in the water for 1 hour. This will create the corn stock.

Dice the shallots and garlic. Sauté with the butter for a few minutes, then add the corn kernels and cook for 10 minutes on low heat.

Blend or purée the corn kernels with the corn stock. You may need to pass this through a sieve to achieve a smooth consistency. Season with sea salt and cracked pepper to taste.

Assembly

Place the risotto on a serving plate. Top with the barramundi filets then drizzle with the sweet corn purée and garnish with the micro-herbs.

Wine Match

2012 Josef Chromy Chardonnay, Tasmania
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The clubhouse at Kingston Heath Golf Club, Melbourne, Australia
Image courtesy of Kingston Heath