Serves: 6
Preparation time: 1 hour 30 minutes (including refrigeration time)
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 John Dory weighing about 900g
- 1 coconut
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- 1 bulb of fennel
- 2 limes
- 2 spring onions
- 2 bunches of opal basil
- 30ml light olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Method
- Fillet the John Dory and remove the skin – the fishmonger can do this at time of purchase if you ask. Divide each fillet into nine portions.
- Crack the coconut with a mallet or the back of a cleaver, taking care to collect the juice.
- Finely grate half the coconut flesh into the juice and add the caster sugar.
- Cover and refrigerate for one hour, then press through a muslin cloth to get a fine coconut cream.
- If there is no juice or very little in the coconut, add some water.
- Using a Japanese vegetable slicer, cut the rest of the coconut and the fennel into very thin slices.
- Peel the limes with a paring knife and split them into segments. Thinly slice the spring onions.
- Lightly toss the fennel, coconut, spring onions and most of the basil (save some for decoration) with the lime segments, olive oil, salt and pepper.
- In a scalding hot, non-stick pan smeared with olive oil, sear the seasoned John Dory on both sides until golden but still “pink” inside.
- To assemble the dish, pour some coconut cream on to each plate, add some fennel salad and three pieces of fish.
- Top with a little more salad and a basil leaf or two.