Australian Barramundi With Winter Vegetables Bagna Cauda And Toasted Breadcrumbs Recipes

SPRING VEGETABLE BAGNA CAUDA

Steps:

• Wash the vegetables in a large bowl of cold water and blot dry. Trim the fennel of any stringy layers, and slice thinly crosswise. Peel the outer leaves of the artichokes to reveal the pale green hearts, and slice into thin wedges. Peel the carrots and slice lengthwise. Cut the cauliflower into thin slices, or break it up into small florets. Separate the leaves of the Belgian endive and radicchio or Treviso. Snap off and discard the tough bottom ends of the asparagus and slice the spears into quarters lengthwise. Cut the turnips and radishes into quarters, leaving the tops attached, or leave whole if they are small. Clean the spring onions and slice in half lengthwise. Sprinkle everything lightly with sea salt and arrange the vegetables on a platter, tossing them together to create a colorful display. Scatter the fava beans over the top.
• Rinse and fillet the anchovies. In a mortar, pound the garlic to a paste with a little salt and pepper. Add the anchovies and pound until roughly mashed. Warm the olive oil and butter over medium-low heat. Add half the anchovy mixture, the red wine vinegar, and lemon zest, and gently simmer for 2 minutes. Stir in the remaining anchovy mixture, taste for salt and pepper, and transfer the sauce to a warmed bowl or individual ramekins.

BAGNA-CAUDA BUTTER (WITH GARLIC AND ANCHOVIES)

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over low heat. When the oil just begins to warm, add the garlic and anchovies and cook slowly, stirring until the garlic becomes toasty brown and the anchovies dissolve (about ten minutes). Let cool completely.
• Process the butter in a food processor until smooth and creamy. Add the cooled garlic-anchovy mixture and a pinch of salt. Process until well blended. Taste and add more salt if needed. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the parsley. Refrigerate until firm enough to shape into a log.
• Put an 18-inch sheet of aluminum foil on your work surface. Spoon the butter down the center of the foil into a log about 1-1/2 inches in diameter. Enclose in foil and twist the ends to make a sealed log, like a tootsie roll. Refrigerate for up to one week, or freeze for up to six months.

BAGNA CAUDA DIP WITH ASSORTED VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Blanch sugar snap peas and haricots verts 1 minute. Using strainer, transfer vegetables to paper towels to drain. Blanch cauliflower florets 2 minutes; blanch zucchini, pattypan squash, and asparagus spears 3 minutes. Cook baby beets in same pot of water until tender, about 15 minutes; cool, peel, and cut beets in half.
• Simmer garlic cloves in medium saucepan of salted water until tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain, cool, and peel. Place garlic in shallow bowl; mash with back of fork until smooth. Melt butter in skillet over medium heat. Add anchovies and stir 1 minute. Add garlic, then whisk in olive oil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer 5 minutes, whisking occasionally (sauce may separate). Season with salt and pepper; serve dip with vegetables.

BAGNA CAUDA

Steps:

• Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in garlic and cook until tender. Reduce heat to low. Mix in anchovy filets and heavy cream. Cook and stir until thickened. Remove from heat, cover and chill in the refrigerator approximately 2 hours.
• Return the mixture to medium heat, stirring occasionally, until bubbly. Serve hot.

BAGNA CAUDA WITH BROCCOFLOWER AND TOASTED COUNTRY BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Prepare an ice bath; set aside. Fill a stockpot with 1 inch water, and bring to a boil. Place broccoflower in a steamer insert; sprinkle with salt. Cover tightly, and steam until just tender when pierced with a paring knife, about 10 minutes. Transfer to ice bath; drain, and pat dry.
• Arrange bread on a baking sheet; toast until edges are brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Turn; toast until the edges of the other side are brown, about 3 minutes. Serve with bagna cauda and broccoflower.

AUSTRALIAN BARRAMUNDI WITH WINTER VEGETABLES BAGNA CAUDA AND TOASTED BREADCRUMBS

Steps:

• Season the fish with the lemon zest, thyme, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Cover, and refrigerate at least 4 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Toss the breadcrumbs with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Spread them on a baking sheet, and toast 8 to 10 minutes, stirring once or twice, until they're golden brown and crispy. Toss in the remaining tablespoon parsley.
• Heat a large sauté pan over high heat for 2 minutes. (Depending on the size of your pan, you may need to cook the fish in batches.) Season the fish with salt and pepper on both sides. Swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and wait 1 minute. Carefully lay the fish in the pan, skin side down, and cook 3 to 4 minutes, until the skin is crisp. Turn the fish over, lower the heat to medium-low, and cook a few more minutes, until it's almost cooked through. Be careful not to overcook the fish. When it's done, the fish will begin to flake and separate a little, and the center will still be slightly translucent. Remember, the fish will continue to cook a bit more once you take it out of the pan.
• Arrange the winter vegetables bagna cauda on a large warm platter. Nestle the fish among the vegetables, and squeeze lemon juice over the top. Spoon the 4 tablespoons of reserved bagna cauda over the fish, and shower the breadcrumbs on top.
• Winter Vegetables Bagna Cauda
• Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil.
• Cut the cauliflower into florets each the size of one large bite. Cut the baby fennel in half lengthwise, or cut the large bulb into twelve wedges, keeping the root end intact. Trim the radish stems to 1/4 inch, and cut each radish in half lengthwise. Peel the baby carrots, leaving 1/4-inch stems, and cut them in half lengthwise. For larger carrots, peel them and cut on the diagonal into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Trim the ends of the baby broccoli, or cut the larger head into large bite-sized florets.
• Starting with the lighter-colored vegetables first, blanch each vegetable separately until tender, and cool on a baking sheet. (You'll need to taste for doneness; the vegetables should be tender yet still somewhat firm, since they will continue to cook a little after you remove them from the water.) Remember to bring the water back to a boil before each new batch of vegetables.
• Heat the olive oil and butter in a medium saucepan over very low heat. Add the anchovies and chile and cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the anchovy melts into the sauce. Add the garlic and thyme. Turn off the heat, and let the garlic finish cooking in the hot oil. Season with a heaping 1/2 teaspoon salt. Taste for seasoning.
• Place the endive and Treviso in a large salad bowl.
• Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat for 1 minute. Without stirring, spoon 6 tablespoons of the oil from the top of the bagna cauda and add it to the pan. Add the cauliflower, fennel, radishes, carrots, and broccoli. Season with salt and pepper. Cook 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often, to coat the vegetables well and heat them through.
• Stir the bagna cauda well, and set aside 4 tablespoons of it. Pour the rest of the bagna cauda over the vegetables. Toss well to coat, and transfer the vegetables to the salad bowl. Toss with the Treviso and endive, and season generously with lemon juice. Taste for seasoning.
• Note
• Season the fish with lemon zest and herbs in the morning or night before. You can make the bagna cauda and prep all the vegetables in advance, sautéing the vegetables in the bagna cauda while you cook the fish.