YELLOWTAIL WITH FENNEL, NAARTJIE AND A BUTTER SAUCE
Serves 4 • Preparation: 40 minutes • Cooking time (sauce): 10 minutes Braaiing time (fish): about 18 minutes
• 15ml olive oil
• 1 small fennel bulb, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1.3kg yellowtail, butterflied
• 1 naartjie, thinly sliced
• about 60ml butter
• yellow rice, to serve
SAUCE
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 30ml lemon juice
• 45ml white wine
• 60ml cream
• 250ml cold butter, cubed
1 Heat the oil and fry the fennel for a few minutes until it starts to soften. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute. Cool.
2 Place the fish on a chopping board, skin side down, and arrange the naartjie slices and fried fennel and garlic across the length of one half of the flesh, then dot the fennel with half the butter and fold the fish over the filling. Using a sharp knife, score* both sides of the skin three times, then rub in the remaining butter. You can secure the fish with string but a sandwich braai grid or braai basket will also help to keep the fish together. 3 Braai the fish, skin side down, over medium to hot coals for about 5 minutes; repeat on the other side. Braai for about 5–10 minutes or until done (depending on your fire and the thickness of the fish); use your judgment with regards to turning the fish to ensure that the skin doesn’t char too much. If you’re unsure, test a piece – the meat should be white and flake easily when you stick a fork in it.
4 Make the sauce Place the onion, lemon juice and wine in a small saucepan and boil until reduced by half. Stir in the cream and cook for a minute or two. Now beat in the butter cubes, one by one. Allow enough time for the butter to melt properly between additions. Pour the sauce through a sieve to remove the onions, then pour into a jug. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve with the fish and yellow rice.