Crispy skin pink mao mao fillets in kelp butter with umami-boosted tomato soup and lemon creme fraiche.

By Chef Tom Boyce — Ussco, Gisborne.

This recipe is designed for one large pink mao mao but any white fleshed fish can be used.

One large pink mao mao 6 large ripe tomatoes 100g butter

200g creme fraiche 2 tablespoons of diced preserved lemon; lemon zest will also work fine.

Salt and pepper to taste

Umami salt

Dried kelp stems or kombu leaves Juice of half a lemon

KELP BUTTER

Melt the butter with the kelp stalks and simmer, but don’t brown the butter. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Use a stainless steel pot as the lemon juice can draw metallic flavours from cast iron.

THE FISH

Scale and fillet your fish, trying to leave the skin as perfectly intact as you can. Score the skin from side to side and slice the fillet into the portion sizes you want.

Salt the skin side of the mao mao and place in a hot, oiled frying pan, skin side down

Be prepared for the fillets to arch up and be ready with a fish slice to flatten them as they seal. Leaving the fish skin side down, transfer them to the bottom shelf of a 250C oven and cook until you can see the medium rare starting to show. Remove from the oven at this stage and return to the element on low, flip the fish and add the kelp butter. Using a spoon, baste the butter over the fish until you see milk releasing from the flakes and the skin is shiny. Remove from the heat, but leave the fish to rest for a minute longer in the butter.

THE SOUP/ SAUCE Roast your tomatoes in a hot oven until they are fully cooked. Place the tomatoes into a fine strainer and, using the back of a spoon, push the tomatoes through giving you a tomato juice. Season your tomato juice with the umami salt, white pepper and a little olive oil.

LEMON CREME FRAICHE

Simply mix the lemon and creme fraiche together with a little olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper.

PLATING

Use a deep plate or wide open bowl, pour the tomato soup into the base of the bowl. Serve the fish skin side up and spoon the crème fraiche on top.