POACHED HAPUKA, ARTICHOKES AND GARLIC MAYONNAISE

SERVES 6

6 x 180g hapuka, bass grouper or bar cod fillets, skin on and pin-boned

BARIGOULE

1 tbsp coriander seeds

½ tbsp fennel seeds

½ tbsp black peppercorns

1 fresh bay leaf

4 thyme sprigs

300ml extra virgin olive oil ½ onion, finely sliced

½ carrot, finely sliced

½ celery heart stalk, finely sliced ½ garlic bulb

2 cups dry white wine

2 cups water

1 kg Jerusalem artichokes, halved

GARLIC MAYONNAISE

2 egg yolks

½ tbsp Dijon mustard

2 tsp white wine vinegar Fine salt

1 cup grapeseed oil

Juice of ½ lemon

3 garlic cloves, finely grated

TO SERVE (OPTIONAL)

½ bunch each French tarragon, flat-leaf parsley and chervil, leaves picked 3 sorrel leaves, sliced

½ bunch dill, sprigs picked

For the barigoule, tie the spices and herbs together in a muslin cloth to make a bouquet garni.

Heat the olive oil in a large, wide-based saucepan and cook the onion, carrot, celery and garlic for 7 minutes until tender, without colouring. Add the wine and bouquet garni, and bring to the boil. Add the water and return to the boil, then set aside.

For the mayonnaise, rest a bowl on a tea towel draped over a saucepan to stabilise it. Add the egg yolks, mustard, vinegar and salt to the bowl and whisk to combine well. Continue whisking, slowly drizzling in the grapeseed oil to form a thick emulsion. Taste and add extra salt, the lemon juice and garlic to taste. It should be the thickness of softly whipped cream, so adjust with a little warm water if necessary. Set aside.

Place 2 cups of the barigoule liquid and the cooked vegetables

in a large saucepan and set aside. Place the remaining barigoule liquid in a large, heavybased lidded pan and bring to the boil. Add the artichokes and cook until tender, then remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Remove the pan from the heat, add the fish, cover and set aside for 7–8 minutes until the flesh is just opaque. Using a slotted spoon, carefully remove the fish to a plate and gently peel away the skin.

Combine the tarragon, parsley, chervil, sorrel and dill, if using, and set aside.

Bring the reserved 2 cups of barigoule liquid and all the vegetables, including the artichokes, to a simmer and spoon over the fish. Add a generous tablespoon of the mayonnaise and serve with the reserved herbs.

NOTES: Traditionally a barigoule is used to poach and preserve artichokes. This stock has a generous layer of oil on top of it, but don’t discard it, as it acts as a vinaigrette for the dish. The aromatics and vegetables also make a beautiful garnish for the finished dish.