Recipe and images by Fiona Hugues
The weather where I live, not far from the sea, is still great for a jaunt in the boat and luscious pale pink fillets of freshly line-hooked bountiful species are happily often ready and waiting in my fridge. We prefer to eat fish raw these days, or crudo as the Italian’s call it. As long as you have good olive oil, salt and some acidic juices you’re good to go. Here I’ve used apple slices quickly pickled in cider vinegar.
Amounts are approximate – season and build flavours to your liking. For best results pickle the apples the day before.
2–3 spankingly fresh fish fillets thinly sliced into bite sized bits (I used tarakihi here but any white fleshed fish works well)
2–3 small, sweet eating apples very thinly sliced (I use a mandoline for this)
½ cup cider vinegar
½ caster sugar approx.
flaked salt & freshly ground pepper
½ cup Greek yogurt, drained in a sieve lined with a muslin (I use a fresh Chux cloth) for a few hours to thicken.
2 tbsp capers
shaved fennel tossed in a squeeze of lemon juice to prevent browning and a few green sprigs to garnish.
½ Granny Smith apple, chopped into julienne sticks
extra virgin olive oil (ideally a thick, creamy expensive one)
In a small saucepan heat the vinegar and the sugar until the sugar has dissolved. Season the hot liquid with salt and pepper. Pack the apple slices into a heat proof jar, pour over the pickling liquid, cover and place in the fridge for a couple of hours or overnight if you can.
The next day, fry the capers in a hot pan with a little olive oil until crispy and open. Set aside on a paper towel to drain.
When ready to serve, smear the labneh on your serving platter. Sprinkle over the shaved fennel and lay your fish pieces on the top. Sprinkle with salt and squeeze over a little more lemon juice. Drain a few apple slices (they’ll keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks if not more) and tuck these amongst the fish. Sprinkle over the fried capers, julienned Granny Smith and add a few sprigs of fennel on top. Glug the extra virgin olive oil everywhere and serve immediately with lots of bread to mop up the juices.
