Ingredients
- Title:For the mullet
- 500g mullet fillets or sardines if available
- sea salt
- 2 cups white wine vinegar
- 1 onion, thickly sliced
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 stick celery, coarsely chopped
- 1?2-1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons chilli flakes
- 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons lemon thyme leaves
- Title:For the white bean purée
- 400g canned butter beans, drained (I use El Navarrico)
- 1 clove garlic
- 1?4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- Title:To serve
- 4 large slices ciabatta
- 1 clove garlic
- extra virgin olive oil to serve
- 1 cup queen green olives
- 2 handfuls rocket
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Method
This recipe takes three to five days and makes a great refrigerator standby, but the recipe can be skipped through in a day if the fish is to be eaten within a couple of days. If the full process is carried out the fish will last a good month in the refrigerator under the oil.
For the mullet
Generously salt the fish on both sides then cover and refrigerate for 24 hours (or a couple of hours if doing the express version).
Combine the vinegar, onion, peppercorns, bay leaves, garlic and celery. Rinse the salt off the fish then immerse in the vinegar brine, cover and refrigerate for 24 hours (or 4 hours if doing express).
Combine the oil with the chilli, lemon zest and thyme. Drain the fish from the brine, discard the brine, then immerse the fish in the seasoned olive oil, ensuring there's enough oil to completely cover, then refrigerate.
For the white bean purée
Process all the ingredients in a food processor until smooth then season well with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use, being sure to bring back to room temperature before serving.
To serve
Grill the bread on a barbecue then rub generously with garlic and drizzle with olive oil.
Smear the bruschetta with the bean purée. Top each with 2-3 fish fillets. Serve with rocket dressed with extra virgin olive oil, salt, freshly ground black pepper and a bowl of queen green olives.
You can also find hundreds of recipes from Cuisine, the World's Best Food Magazine, on www.cuisine.co.nz
