Steamed Manukau Mullet with Herb Stuffing

Ingredients

• 1 (1.5kg) yellow-eyed mullet
• 1 ¼ cup breadcrumbs
• 2 tbsp onion, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, finely diced
• 1 lemon juice
• 2 tbsp fresh fennel
• 2 tbsp Italian parsley
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cos lettuce
• 1 spring onion
• 1lt seafood stock liquid
• 1tbsp crème fraiche

Method

Clean, de-scale and open the belly down to the tail to make a pocket for the stuffing.

Combine the breadcrumbs, fresh herbs, onion, lemon juice, salt and pepper and bind with beaten egg to make a firm moist stuffing. Place stuffing inside the belly. Pour the seafood stock into the poaching dish with the wire rack and bring to the boil.

Blanch the green outer leaves from the lettuce and the spring onions in the stock for 20 seconds. Refresh under cold water, drain.

Wrap the mullet with the blanched lettuce leaves and hold this together by tying the spring onions around the whole fish. Season with salt and pepper. Place into the poaching dish, lid on and steam for 20 – 30 minutes.

Carefully lift out the mullet and put on a heated serving dish.

Reduce the cooking juices and swirl in the crème fraiche.

Pour over the sauce and serve with a salad.

The secret to success when cooking mullet is not to overcook it. Whichever of the cooking methods you choose your mullet will be cooked when its flesh becomes opaque, but is still moist and can easily be pierced with a fork.

Suggested wines to complement this recipe

Chardonnay
Marsden Estate 2007

Riesling
Craggy Range Otago Station Vineyard 2008