GIFTS FROM THE SEA
Ginny Grant puts on a seafood feast to celebrate the season
I’M WRITING THIS just as Auckland has come out of Level-3 for the third (and hopefully the last) time. Although it was shorter it also felt harder; scrambling around to reschedule photo shoots, juggling work commitments and missing out once again on visits from out-of-town friends. But, I’m well aware of how lucky I am: a number of my friends have been made redundant, many of us are looking at reduced incomes and with the prospect of more job losses, and the very real crisis of food security that is growing day by day, there is a growing sentiment of making this a year we all want to erase. Yet it is an opportunity too – to reassess what we are doing, how we can help others in a tangible way, and what changes for the better we can make in our own lives.
Frankly, the very thought of having people over for a drink and food seems so remote and faraway that I’m struggling to even contemplate what it will look like or what form that will take. But we need to have something to look forward to, even if it is just the quiet optimism that a New Year always brings. And if Christmas is going to be a struggle for many then it’s the little things we do, and who we choose to support, that will make uncertain times a little more bearable. Never has it been more important to choose how we spend each dollar we earn and to spend what we can on our local growers, producers and businesses.
GRILLED MUSSELS WITH ‘NDUJA CRUMBS SERVES 6 AS A SNACK / PREPARATION 15 MINUTES / COOKING 20 MINUTES
My current obsession with ‘nduja – the spicy and spreadable Calabrian salami – knows no bounds. I find I’m spreading it on crackers, tossing a tablespoon or two through pasta sauces or even in a toastie. Given the rate at which we demolished these mussels after photographing them for this feature, these may well become your obsession too. ‘Nduja can be found in good speciality food stores and butchers, but if you are struggling to find it try using a soft and spicy chorizo instead. It can be very hot so do use it sparingly.
The crumb is also delicious over oysters or try pressing it over pieces of thick-fleshed fish such as hāpuka or monkfish before baking. If you prefer, you can shuck the mussels rather than steam them open (see Fiona Smith’s trick for that on page 74).
1.5kg (approx 30) mussels, scrubbed 2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 tablespoons ‘nduja
3 cups fresh breadcrumbs zest of 1 lemon
½ cup flat-leafed parsley, finely chopped
In a wide saucepan with a lid, steam open the mussels in batches with a little water until they’ve only just opened. Remove from the heat as soon as they snap open. When cool enough to handle, remove one shell, cut the mussel from the muscle and remove the beard (and the tongue, too, if you prefer). Put back into the half shell on a baking tray in a single layer and refrigerate until required.
When ready to cook, heat the oven to 200°C.
Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the garlic and cook gently until softened. Add the ‘nduja and cook to soften for a minute or so. Remove from the heat, add the breadcrumbs, lemon zest and parsley and stir to coat.
Spoon a small amount on top of each mussel then bake for 10 minutes until the crumbs are golden. Allow to cool slightly before serving.
BAKED SIDE OF SALMON WITH CARAMELISED NUOC CHAM SAUCE (recipe page 60)
SERVES 8 / PREPARATION 40 MINUTES / COOKING TIME 15 MINUTES
Salmon makes for an impressive dish especially when cooked as a whole side. For a lush, more snazzy option I might top the fish with some salmon roe if available, but this also works well for weeknight meals using smaller pieces of salmon. Leftovers might find their way into rice paper rolls with the addition of rice vermicelli. The caramel and the undressed salad can be made ahead of time then finished when required.
FOR THE CARAMEL SAUCE
½ cup brown sugar or palm sugar 2 tablespoons fish sauce grated zest and juice of 1 lime ½ teaspoon chilli flakes
Put the brown sugar in a saucepan with 3 tablespoons of water and bring to a boil, so that the sugar dissolves and caramelises. Remove from the heat, add the fish sauce, lime zest and juice and chilli flakes and set aside to cool. Adjust with more fish sauce or lime juice if needed. Remove 2 tablespoons of the caramel and set aside to use in the salad dressing.
FOR THE SALAD
2 tablespoons caramel sauce 2 tablespoons fish sauce juice of 1 lime
2 carrots
125g snow peas
1 green mango
4 baby cucumbers
1 punnet cherry tomatoes
1-2 red chillies, sliced
½ cup roasted peanuts a good handful herbs such as Vietnamese
mint, Thai basil and dill
To make the dressing, mix together the caramel sauce, fish sauce and lime juice. Add more fish sauce and lime juice if you think it necessary. Set aside. Cut the carrots, snow peas, mango and cucumber into long, thin strips and put into a bowl. Halve the tomatoes and add to the bowl, along with the chillies, peanuts and herbs. When ready to serve add the dressing and toss well.
TO SERVE
1 side salmon, pin boned, skin on 1 tablespoon sea salt
¼ cup coconut chips, toasted 1-2 red chillies, sliced a small handful herbs such as
Vietnamese mint, Thai basil and dill
Heat the oven to 200°C. Line a lipped baking tray with foil.
Rub the salmon with the sea salt and leave for 30 minutes. Pat dry with paper towels. Lightly spray or oil the foil. Put the salmon on the foil skin-side down and brush the fish with some of the caramel. Put into the oven for 12-15 minutes (or a little longer if you prefer it well cooked), brushing once with more caramel halfway through cooking. Remove from the oven and brush with the remaining caramel. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a serving platter (I usually loosen the fish from the foil then use a couple of wide and flat spatulas for this).
Top with a couple of tablespoons of coconut chips (add the rest to the salad), chilli and herbs. Serve with the just-dressed salad.