This dish has been on the Depot menu since day one, and doesn’t look like it’s leaving anytime soon. It is a take on a plate that I had in Melbourne a while back at one of Andrew McConnell’s restaurants, Golden Fields in St Kilda. I have only met Andrew briefly over the kitchen pass, however I covet much of what he and his team do. I dig their food big time, and the style of restaurants they build and operate. They also have Cumulus Restaurant, which is an all-time favourite and if heading to Melbourne, it’s a must-visit. The combination sounds a little weird but believe me it works a dream and makes for a real change from your regular sashimi deal of soy, wasabi and pickled ginger.
Oyster cream
| 2 Tbsp | Canola oil |
| 1 cup | Shallot, thinly sliced |
| ⅓ cup | Sweet sherry |
| 12 | Oysters, fresh (Main) |
| 2 cups | Cream |
To serve
| 500 g | Kingfish, trimmed |
| 1 | Granny Smith apple, cut into matchsticks |
| ¼ cup | Chervil, leaves |
| 2 Tbsp | Fennel seeds, toasted and ground |
| 1 serving | Tart apple syrup |
| 1 dash | Lemon-infused olive oil |
| 1 to serve | Lemon |
Directions
- Place a saucepan on a medium-low heat. Add canola oil and shallots and sweat for 10 minutes without allowing them to colour.
- Pour in the sherry and reduce until almost evaporated, then follow with the juice from the oyster pottle and the cream. Reduce slowly on a gentle simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and drop oysters into cream, allowing them to plump for 1 minute.
- Pour into a blender and blitz for 2 minutes until velvety smooth. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl and season to taste. Oyster cream will be thick, but pourable. Refrigerate until required.
- Using a sharp knife cut your kingfish fillet into cubes. Aim for 6–8 bite sized pieces per person.
- On cold plates, place 6–8 coin sized blobs of oyster cream. Top each of those with a piece of kingfish. Arrange a couple of sticks of apple on each cube of fish, and some chervil leaves. Sprinkle a little ground fennel seed over the fish, and season with flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Finish your plates with a light pour of tart apple syrup, lemon oil and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. It doesn't need to look perfect, but it's important to get all the flavours in each mouthful.