Rare Treat: Coorong Flounder with Bagna Cauda Recipe

Pan-fried Coorong flounder, bagna cauda and pickled green tomatoes recipe

Pickled green tomatoes

Ingredients

– 1kg green tomatoes
– 1 long green chilli
– 1 bunch fresh oregano
– 5 garlic cloves

Method

1. Slice the tomatoes thinly with a mandolin; layer them in a deep tray, with a sprinkle of salt over each layer.

2. Leave for 24 hours. Then strain (as the tomatoes will have released quite a bit of liquid in that time).

3. Put the tomatoes back in a deep tray and cover with white wine vinegar. Leave for another 24 hours.

4. Strain the tomatoes and squeeze any excess liquid off. Add chopped garlic, chili and oregano. Place all ingredients in a jar, top with good quality olive oil and seal with a lid.

Bagna cauda

Ingredients

– 2 tbsp anchovies
– 8 cloves garlic
– 1/2 cup of milk
– 250g butter (cubed)
– 150g olive oil
– 2 pieces of white bread

Method

5. Heat the milk and garlic until the garlic is soft and cooked through.

6. Add the anchovy and blitz together in a food processor.

7. Add bread to hold the mix.

8. Slowly add your butter (you want the mix to emulsify).

9. After the butter has been added, slowly pour in your oil. This will give the bagna cauda gloss.

10. If your bagna is on the edge and looks like it will split, add a dash of thickened cream. Chef secret!

To plate

11. Pan-fry your cleaned flounder (at Africola, we do this in lots of butter, garlic and lemon). To serve, place your bagna cauda on top of the fish, you can either grill it so the sauce gets a beautiful crust, or it is as equally good on its own. Chop the tomatoes and add a heap of fresh mint.

12. We get our flounder directly from the fisherman in the Coorong: Coorong Wild Seafood.

BOOZE MATCH: BRASH HIGGINS

Going in for some new vintage Brash Higgins; specifically the new Riesling/ Semillon field blend. It’s the way you imagine that scene from the Disney version of Alice in Wonderland with the walrus and the oysters tasting. It’s just one big snack-oriented trap.

It’s a perfectly slippery lemon-elbowed oyster-brine flavour puncher. Enough rock’n’roll to pull through any dish, but enough refinement that you can absolutely polish off a bottle in a sitting.

MUSIC MATCH: DEVO

Devo’s 1980 Freedom of Choice album is a classic. I would honestly rather punch my own eyes out than ever have to listen to a Beach Boys album when it comes to summer (or any time of year). I want texture and weirdness and lemony licks. There’s something salty and pseudo-beach rock about this album, but it’s got enough acid to maintain relevance and force you into throwing some glorious weird shapes.

Death to Beach Boys, up with Devo for summer playlists. It’s a strong opinion, but this is a strong album and a strong wine and damn strong dish. Also, you jazz up your bagna cauda while Whip It is playing and tell me you aren’t having the best time.

africola.com.au

Photography: Sia Duff