This dish, and most raw fish dishes, are great for entertaining and light Summertime dining. Eating fatty fish, such as Kingfish, is essential to a healthy diet. Omega 3 oils are just the beginning of a range of benefits. Kingfish is delicious raw. If you are not sure about raw fish, don’t worry, it does not have a strong ‘fishy’ flavour. The acid of the lime juice will start to ‘cook’ the protein of the Kingfish as it sits and make the fish flavour even milder. Cucumber is a staple Summer vegetable and grows easily in the garden, adding a nice and refreshing flavour, which works well with raw fish dishes.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• ½ small side (500g) fresh Kingfish (ask fishmonger for Sashimi grade), skin removed, bloodline and pin bones removed.
• 10 baby Turnips, no bigger than golf ball size
• 8 stalks Sea Blight (Salty coastal succulent. Easily foraged around sandy tidal estuaries)
• 8 Cucamelon (miniature Sour Mexican cucumber. If unavailable substitute with regular Cucumber, 1cm diced) halved and marinated in cider vinegar and verjuice.
• 1 large or 2 small Avocado, skin and stone removed, roughly diced
• Any fresh seaweed such as Nori, Wakame, or Sea Lettuce
• 1 large or 2 smaller fresh Finger Limes, halved length ways, caviar removed, any seeds discarded and combined with 1 tbsp. verjuice
• 1 Lime cut into 4 wedges
• Smoked Olive Oil, to serve (if unavailable substitute with regular Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
• 8 stalks Red Elk, picked (substitute with any Peppery or Mustard Leaves, e.g.: Rocket)

Method:

1. Using a very sharp knife, slice Kingfish across the grain into 5mm slices. Store on a tray on fresh chux cloth. Wrap in Clingfilm and leave in coolest part of fridge.
2. Heat a chargrill to high. Grill 8 baby Turnips, turning regularly. Remove Turnips from grill and when cooled halve smaller ones and quarter larger ones.
3. Grill Sea Blight briefly till edges charred. When cool, strip leaves from stalk.
4. Shave remaining Turnips thinly on a mandolin.
5. Using a flexible silicon spatula, press Avocado through a fine sieve, into a bowl. Season with salt, pepper, lemon juice and some smoked Olive Oil. Transfer Avocado to a disposable piping bag.
6. Dot plates with Avocado puree, and chargrilled Turnips. Drape Kingfish pieces over turnips and around plate. Dress Kingfish with Finger Lime caviar, verjuice and season with sea salt. Scatter Cucamelon, shaved Turnips, Sea Blight and Seaweed around plates. Squeeze lime juice over dish. Drape Red Elk over components, dress with smoked Olive Oil and serve.

If you plan on serving this dish as part of a shared plates buffet for entertaining, consider serving on top of a larger plate of ice. This will help to keep it fresh on a long hot Summer’s day!

More of my recipes with some of our guest favourite’s can be found in our latest Gaia Cookbook – www.gaiaretreat.com.au/product/gaias-spa-cuisine-recipes

Happy & Healthy Cooking,

Dan
Gaia’s Head Chef