A refined plate of tender, pearlescent rockfish, freshly seared and served in the style of a chef's Caesar salad: a light drizzle of Caesar dressing, anchovies, Parmesan, crisp romaine, pickled red onion, and crunchy croutons.
Ingredients
- 360 g very fresh ballan wrasse fillets, skin-on, scaled and pin-boned
- 90 g good-quality refrigerated Caesar dressing
- 25 g anchovy fillets packed in olive oil
- 45 g aged Parmesan cheese block
- 2 pieces romaine lettuce hearts
- 60 g plain or garlic croutons
- 1 piece red onion
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 piece unwaxed lemon
- 1 clove fresh garlic
- 20 g unsalted butter
- to taste whole black peppercorns
- to taste fine sea salt
Method
- Remove the ballan wrasse fillets from the refrigerator, pat them very dry on both the skin and flesh sides, then season lightly with salt. Let them temper on the counter for 15 minutes: the surface should look matte, which ensures a crisp sear.
- Thinly slice the red onion, then cover with the red wine vinegar and a pinch of salt. Let it macerate for 10 minutes until softened, vibrant bright pink, and mellowed in bite.
- Prep the romaine: discard any wilted outer leaves, halve the hearts lengthwise, then rinse thoroughly and dry completely to avoid diluting the dressing.
- Finely grate a portion of the Parmesan for seasoning and shave the remaining into ribbons. Finely chop some of the anchovies into a rough paste and reserve the prettiest whole fillets for plating.
- Toast the croutons in a dry skillet over medium heat (about 320 °F / 160 °C) for 3 to 4 minutes, tossing regularly. As soon as they sizzle, smell toasted, and turn golden blonde, remove from the heat and toss with a little grated Parmesan so it clings to the edges.
- In a small bowl, whisk the Caesar dressing with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, the chopped anchovy paste, freshly cracked black pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil until smooth, creamy, and spoonable.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat to 350 °F / 180 °C (the oil should shimmer without smoking). Place the fillets skin-side down, applying gentle pressure for 30 seconds, then sear undisturbed for 4 minutes until the skin is crisp and the flesh turns opaque two-thirds of the way up.
- Lower the heat to medium (about 285 °F / 140 °C), add the butter and crushed garlic clove. Continuously baste the fillets with the foaming, nutty brown butter for 1 minute 30 seconds, until the core reaches 118 °F / 48 °C on an instant-read thermometer.
- Flip the fillets onto the flesh side for a quick 30-second kiss of heat over low, then transfer to a warm plate and rest for 2 minutes to let the juices settle (target final internal temperature: 125 °F / 52 °C, pearlescent and flaking easily).
- In a mixing bowl, gently toss the romaine leaves with a portion of the loosened Caesar dressing, a sprinkle of grated Parmesan, and a splash of lemon juice for 30 seconds.
- Arrange the romaine as a base, scatter with the drained red onion, warm croutons, and reserved whole anchovy fillets. Gently lay the seared wrasse fillets on top, crispy skin-side up, then finish with shaved Parmesan ribbons, a drizzle of Caesar dressing, a turn of freshly cracked black pepper, and a thin stream of olive oil.
- Serve immediately within 2 minutes to highlight the hot-and-cold contrast and the crisp skin, accompanied by fresh lemon wedges on the side.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 725.1 kcal
- Protein
- 45.46 g
- Carbohydrate
- 17.29 g
- Fat
- 52.79 g
- Fibre
- 4.29 g
- Calcium
- 259.06 mg
- Iron
- 0.91 mg
- Magnesium
- 32 mg