Whipped smoked fish with broad beans, leaves and salted cucumber

– 200g snapper

– 20g salt

– 1 cucumber (Lebanese) – pinch of salt

– 100g stale white grain bread – 150ml hot water

– 2g finely grated garlic

– zest and juice of 1 lemon – 80ml olive oil

– pepper

– olive oil to serve

– 50g broad beans

– 50g broad bean leaves To prepare the fish, sprinkle the salt over the flesh and keep covered and refrigerated overnight. Brush off the excess salt the next day and then place on a rack above a smoky fire or alternatively in a low oven (about 50ºC) for 18 hours. Slice the cucumbers into the desired size and then sprinkle with the pinch of salt. Cover and refrigerate. Soak the bread in the hot water until it has all been absorbed. Break up the fish into either a mortar or an upright blender and pulverise until it turns into floss. Add the garlic, lemon juice and zest, oil and pepper, as well as the soaked bread, and whip until emulsified. Don’t overwhip, as the gluten in the bread will become gluey. Be careful with seasoning also as the salt will be present in the dried fish. To serve, spread a plate with the whipped fish and then dress with some olive oil. I like to use the beans and leaves to dip, along with the cucumber. Or you could use strips of toast.

Wine pairing:

2018 Blind Corner chardonnay aligoté, 2018, Quindalup, WA ($30) – Mike Bennie, wine and drinks journalist