Australian Barramundi with Winter Vegetables Bagna Cauda and Toasted Breadcrumbs
This dish is the Italian equivalent of the French grand aïoli. In France, a colorful assortment of vegetable crudités is accompanied by a large bowl of garlicky homemade mayonnaise. In Italy, instead of dipping the vegetables into aïoli, they dunk them into a bowl of bagna cauda, a “warm bath” of garlic and anchovy simmering in butter and olive oil. In this dish, I toss my favorite winter vegetables with the bagna cauda and pair them with a meaty Australian bass, barramundi. Feel free to adapt the recipe to your location, season, and cravings. If you’re in the mood for asparagus or potatoes, add them to the mix. And if you can’t find barramundi, this dish is delicious when made with another bass, snapper, or halibut.
Season the fish with lemon zest and herbs in the morning or night before. You can make the bagna cauda and prep all the vegetables in advance, sautéing the vegetables in the bagna cauda while you cook the fish.
Ingredients
Winter Vegetables Bagna Cauda
Preparation
Step 1
Season the fish with the lemon zest, thyme, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Cover, and refrigerate at least 4 hours.
Step 2
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Step 3
Toss the breadcrumbs with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Spread them on a baking sheet, and toast 8 to 10 minutes, stirring once or twice, until they’re golden brown and crispy. Toss in the remaining tablespoon parsley.
Step 4
Heat a large sauté pan over high heat for 2 minutes. (Depending on the size of your pan, you may need to cook the fish in batches.) Season the fish with salt and pepper on both sides. Swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and wait 1 minute. Carefully lay the fish in the pan, skin side down, and cook 3 to 4 minutes, until the skin is crisp. Turn the fish over, lower the heat to medium-low, and cook a few more minutes, until it’s almost cooked through. Be careful not to overcook the fish. When it’s done, the fish will begin to flake and separate a little, and the center will still be slightly translucent. Remember, the fish will continue to cook a bit more once you take it out of the pan.
Step 5
Arrange the winter vegetables bagna cauda on a large warm platter. Nestle the fish among the vegetables, and squeeze lemon juice over the top. Spoon the 4 tablespoons of reserved bagna cauda over the fish, and shower the breadcrumbs on top.
Winter Vegetables Bagna Cauda
Step 6
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil.
Step 7
Cut the cauliflower into florets each the size of one large bite. Cut the baby fennel in half lengthwise, or cut the large bulb into twelve wedges, keeping the root end intact. Trim the radish stems to 1/4 inch, and cut each radish in half lengthwise. Peel the baby carrots, leaving 1/4-inch stems, and cut them in half lengthwise. For larger carrots, peel them and cut on the diagonal into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Trim the ends of the baby broccoli, or cut the larger head into large bite-sized florets.
Step 8
Starting with the lighter-colored vegetables first, blanch each vegetable separately until tender, and cool on a baking sheet. (You’ll need to taste for doneness; the vegetables should be tender yet still somewhat firm, since they will continue to cook a little after you remove them from the water.) Remember to bring the water back to a boil before each new batch of vegetables.
Step 9
Heat the olive oil and butter in a medium saucepan over very low heat. Add the anchovies and chile and cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the anchovy melts into the sauce. Add the garlic and thyme. Turn off the heat, and let the garlic finish cooking in the hot oil. Season with a heaping 1/2 teaspoon salt. Taste for seasoning.
Step 10
Place the endive and Treviso in a large salad bowl.
Step 11
Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat for 1 minute. Without stirring, spoon 6 tablespoons of the oil from the top of the bagna cauda and add it to the pan. Add the cauliflower, fennel, radishes, carrots, and broccoli. Season with salt and pepper. Cook 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often, to coat the vegetables well and heat them through.
Step 12
Stir the bagna cauda well, and set aside 4 tablespoons of it. Pour the rest of the bagna cauda over the vegetables. Toss well to coat, and transfer the vegetables to the salad bowl. Toss with the Treviso and endive, and season generously with lemon juice. Taste for seasoning.
Note
Step 13
Season the fish with lemon zest and herbs in the morning or night before. You can make the bagna cauda and prep all the vegetables in advance, sautéing the vegetables in the bagna cauda while you cook the fish.
