Snapper, fried shallot butter
This butter changed my life and I wish I had taken better photos of it to really show you how amazing it is. The butter is blended with fried shallots, charred spring onion and miso. It’s out of this world!
This time I paired it with snapper, though there are so many uses for this fried shallot butter. I have roasted chicken with it, dipped focaccia in it and used it in a toasted sandwich. Please please please make this butter!
On the fish, fried curry leaves and garlic chips are such a treat. The depth of flavor that fried curry leaves give you are unmatched.
This dish is made for sharing at a table amongst loved ones. I hope you make it!
Ingredients:
300g snapper, I asked for a whole side, skin on
Handful of curry leaves
3 garlic cloves
2 spring onion stalks, green part only, sliced super thin
1 tbsp olive oil, to roast the fish
salt and pepper
4 tbsp vegetable oil, or olive oil, to fry the garlic and curry leaves
Fried shallot butter:
250g butter, unsalted, softened to room temperature
1 cup of pre-made fried shallots
1 bunch of spring onions
2 tbsp white miso
salt to taste
Method:
To char the spring onions: Bring a fry pan to high heat, add 1 tbsp olive oil and wait until it begins to lightly smoke. Add the spring onions, whole, to the pan and char on all sides for about 2 minutes on each side. When there is color on all sides, take it off the heat and allow to cool.
Also, thinly slice two spring onion stalks into super thin long slices. Add to a bowl with ice and water and they will curl up. This will go on the fish as a garnish at the very end.
To make the fried shallot butter: Add all ingredients for the fried shallot butter to a food processor and pulse until it’s well combined and everything is blended through. Keep out of the fridge before serving, to make it easy to scoop out. After serving, keep cold in the fridge.
To fry the curry leaves and garlic cloves: slice garlic cloves into thin slices and separate curry leaves from any branches or stems, leaving behind only the leaves. Bring 4 tbsp of oil to a high heat in a small pot with a lid. Fry garlic cloves first, by dropping them into the hot oil and swirling around until they turn a light golden brown.
Using a slotted spoon, or a spatula, remove the garlic cloves from the oil and transfer onto a paper towel lined plate, making sure to leave the excess oil in the pot.
Fry the curry leaves next, adding the lid on the pot once you throw the curry leaves in and swirling the pot around to get all the leaves fried with oil. After 1-2 minutes, the sizzling should go down significantly and you can remove them from the pot onto a paper towel lined plate. Both the garlic chips and curry leaves will crisp as they cool.
To roast the fish: Preheat an oven to 200C/390F fan-forced. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Add the fish to the tray and season with salt, pepper and olive oil on both sides. Roast for approximately 20 minutes, or until the fish is completely cooked through — test a piece by cutting into the meat and if it’s translucent, it may not be done, if it’s flakey and white throughout, it’s done!
To assemble: transfer the roasted fish onto a serving plate. Add a spoonful of the fried shallot butter, quenelle if possible!! Garnish with fried curry leaves, garlic chips and spring onions in ice water (draining any excess water from them first). Dig in straight away!
