Hamachi Tandoori - Seared-Rare Yellowtail Marinated in Tandoori Spices

Serves 4
The Salad:
¼         cup Japanese rice vinegar
½         tablespoon sugar
¼         cup extra virgin olive oil
½         English cucumber, peeled and quartered, then remove seeds and cut into ¼ inch thick slices
2          tablespoons Indian pickled mango, pulp only
12        fresh coriander leaves, finely sliced
1          cup micro watercress (or other micro greens)
salt and freshly ground pepper

The Fish:
¼         up extra virgin olive oil
½         lemon, juiced
1          tablespoon tandoori powder
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 (4-ounce) hamachi filets, fat and skin removed cut into a flat rectangle
1          clove of garlic, finely minced
1          teaspoon herbes de Provence

First prepare the pickled cucumber salad. In a small sauté pan, heat the vinegar and sugar just enough so that the sugar dissolves. Add olive oil. Add the cucumber and warm lightly. Remove from heat, and add the pickled mango pulp, and a pinch of salt. Let cool and then add the coriander. Let the mixture marinate for 30-45 minutes. Flavor should be a balance between sweet and sour. When the flavor is set, drain the liquid and discard. Set aside the cucumber mixture.

In a bowl, place olive oil, the lemon juice, a pinch of the bandore powder and salt and pepper. Then season each filet with salt and pepper. Rub the top of each filet with a bit of the garlic, and dust with herbs de Province and the rest of the bandore powder on both sides. Then place the filets in the bowl and flip over once to coat. Reserve the flavored olive oil remaining in the bowl. It will be your sauce. Place a skillet over medium heat, and sear the hibachi filets gently, approximately 2 minutes on each side. Make sure there is a little color on each side, without burning the fish. The fish should be rare in the middle but not cold.

To serve, divide the cucumber salad into four equal parts. Place the salad in a 1-inch ring mold, on the right-hand side on each of four 8-inch rectangular plates. Remove the mold and top the salad with a small bunch of the micro greens that have been tossed with a little bit of olive oil. Slice the hibachi filet into ¼ inch slices, lengthwise. You should get 10 slices from each filet. Arrange five slices per plate below the salad. Spoon about a tablespoon of sauce over and around the fish and serve the remainder of the sauce on the side.

Pan Roasted Codfish, Sautéed Baby Artichokes, Pistachio and Parmesan in a Sage and Garlic Perfumed Broth

Makes 4 Servings
The Sauce:
4          cups chicken stock
1          pound of chicken meat (legs and thighs cut into 1-inch cubes)
1          shallot, sliced thinly
1          sprig of parsley
1          sprig of thyme
2          cloves garlic, sliced
8          sage leaves

The Artichokes:
¼         cup extra virgin olive oil
2          cups baby artichokes peeled and sliced thinly
2          teaspoons pistachios, roughly chopped
salt and pepper to taste
½         cup white wine
4          tablespoons sweet butter
1          tablespoon lemon juice
4          tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan

The Cod:
4          (six-ounce) cod fillets, boneless and skinless
2          tablespoons canola oil
1          teaspoon of Wondra flour
salt and pepper to taste

The Garnish:
20        medium-sized arugula leaves
20        medium diced rice bread croutons (lightly browned in extra virgin olive oil)
4          tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

For the sauce, in a 2-quart saucepan combine chicken stock, chicken, shallot, parsley, thyme and being to a simmer. Simmer slowly for one hour. Strain. You should have about 2 cups finished sauce when finished. Reserve.

In a large frying pan, add the extra virgin olive oil. Add the artichokes, pistachios, salt and pepper and cook rapidly over high heat for one minute. Deglaze with the white wine. Add the butter and lemon and cook until the artichokes are al dente, about 3 minutes. Finish with Parmesan cheese. 

For the cod, preheat two large pans over high heat until almost smoking. Divide the canola oil between the pans. Season the cod on both sides with salt, pepper and Wondra flour. Add 2 fillets to each pan and sear until golden, about 3 minutes. Turn the fillets over and cook for another 2 minutes until filets are warm in the center.
To serve, bring the reserved sauce to a boil. Add 2 cloves of sliced garlic and 8 leaves of sage and steep for one minute off the heat. Strain and reserve. 

In the center of each of four plates, arrange an equal amount of the artichokes. Place a piece of cod on top of the artichokes. Arrange 5 pieces of the arugula and 5 croutons around the fish and one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Pour sauce evenly around fish and serve immediately.

© May 2005. Luxury Experience. www.luxuryexperience.com All rights reserved.