HAPUKU WITH A SUMMER SALAD

Ingredients

• 4 fillets of hapuku – approx 4cm wide steaks

• Salt and pepper

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• 2 tsp crushed celery seeds

• Small pinch chill seeds (optional)

• 1 Tbsp each of olive oil and butter

• 200gm mixed salad greens. I used rocket and spinach.

• 2 radishes – thinly sliced

• 1 celery stalk – thinly sliced

• 1 firm but ripe avocado – sliced

• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves – roughly torn

• 1/4 cup fresh dill chopped or 1/4 tsp dried dill

• 2 oranges, segmented. Squeeze the membrane into a bowl to reserve the juice.

• 1Tbsp white wine vinegar

• 1 Tbsp olive oil

Method

1) In a small bowl combine the smoked paprika, celery seeds and chilli (if using). Pat the fish fillets dry and season with salt and pepper. Press the top into the paprika, celery mix to get a good coating and set aside.

2) In a medium bowl prepare the salad ingredients, salad greens, radishes, celery, avocado, orange segments, mint and dill. Refrigerate until ready to use.

3) Whisk together the reserved orange juice, vinegar and oil. Set aside. Pour this over the salad and toss gently just before serving.

4) In a large frying pan on medium to high heat add the 1Tbsp of oil and butter. Once the butter starts to bubble add your fish fillets top side down. Cook for approx 3 minutes until crispy, then turn over to cook the bottom and sides for another 3-4 minutes total. The cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of your fillets. The fish is cooked when it is opaque.

5) Pour the orange dressing over the salad now and toss gently.

6) Gently place your summer salad on the plate and place your fish fillet to the side. Drizzle the fish with any leftover juice in the pan. 

Like many of us, our From Sea to Sizzle columnist Bea Bagnall developed a taste for cooking kaimoana via opportunity and necessity.

She and partner Tony Orton have travelled the world together, crewing on several vessels where Tony ran the bridge and Bea the galley.

Bea developed a great range of recipes as they globe-trotted about. Although an accomplished angler in her own right, Bea likes nothing more than experimenting with the catch in the galley, specialising in simple recipes with commonly-available ingredients.

With her and Tony’s home base now firmly established in Mangawhai, where they run a charter operation and a lodge, fresh ingredients from both the land and sea are never far away.

Bea’s recipes reflect this…

April 2022 - Bea Bagnall
New Zealand Fishing News Magazine.
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