Roast Hapuku & Black Pudding on Sherry Potatoes with Saffron Aioli, Nettle Pesto & Watercress Salad

This dish blends Fiona Reed's life in Kaikoura with her Scottish heritage and passion for sourcing top-quality local ingredients.

Saffron aioli and sherry potatoes

1 Tbsp	Water
1 pinch	Saffron threads
2 tsp	Chardonnay vinegar
1	Egg, yolk
1 clove	Garlic, finely chopped
¼ tsp	Sea salt
½ tsp	Dijon mustard
¼ tsp	Caster sugar
70 ml	Extra virgin olive oil
70 ml	Grapeseed oil
3	Agria potatoes, medium sized, peeled and sliced int o1cm-thick rounds
1 pinch	Sea salt
2 Tbsp	Olive oil
3 Tbsp	Dry sherry

Nettle pesto and Watercress salad

½ cup	Walnuts, cut into pieces and toasted
2 cups	Nettle tips, or leaves, thoroughly washed (or use 1 1/2 cups of spinach or 1/2 cup of parsley if nettle unavailable)
1 to taste	Sea salt
4 Tbsp	Extra virgin olive oil
1	Orange, for 1 tsp of zest and 1 tsp of juice
1 to taste	Salt
1 Tbsp	Olive oil
1 to taste	Caster sugar
1 cup	Watercress, washed

Roast Hapuku & Black Pudding

2 Tbsp	Flour
2	Hapuka fillets, skinned and boned (Main)
1 Tbsp	Grapeseed oil
1 tsp	Butter
1 to taste	Sea salt
1 to taste	White pepper, freshly ground
4 slices	Black puddings, approximately 2cm in dameter
1 to fry	Grapeseed oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 220°C. To make the aioli, gently heat the water, saffron and chardonnay vinegar in a saucepan for 5 minutes to infuse the saffron. Cool completely.
2. Place the egg yolk, garlic, salt, sugar, mustard and cooled saffron liquid in a food processor and process for 20 seconds. With the motor still running, slowly add the oils until completely blended and thick . Taste for seasoning.
3. Place potato rounds in a roasting tray with the olive oil and salt and toss to coat. Arrange in a single layer and drizzle with half the sherry. Cook for about 20 minutes, turn, check seasoning, then add remaining sherry. Cook until golden brown. Reduce oven temperature to 200°C.
4. To make the pesto, blanch the nettles for 90 seconds in boiling salted water. Drain and place immediately in iced water. When cool, drain, place in a tea towel and squeeze the excess liquid from the nettles. Roughly chop.
5. Process walnuts to a crumb consistency. Add the chopped nettle and process until combined. Add a little sea salt and with the motor running drizzle in the olive oil. Check seasoning and adjust if necessary.
6. For the salad, combine 1/2 teaspoon of nettle pesto with the orange zest and juice in a jar, and shake well. Add the olive oil and shake again. Add salt, sugar or orange juice to taste. Before serving, toss the watercress in the dressing.
7. Lightly coat the hapuku in flour. Heat an ovenproof frying pan over high heat and add the grapeseed oil and butter. When the butter stops foaming, add the fish and brown for approximately 2 minutes. Turn and season with salt and a little white pepper. When the other side has browned, place in the oven and roast until just cooked, around 6-7 minutes.
8. Remove from oven and rest for a few minutes. Brown the black pudding in a frying pan over medium heat with a dash of grapeseed oil until caramelised on both sides.
9. To serve, overlap 3 potato rounds on each plate and top with a fish fillet. Drizzle aioli down one side of the fish and place 2 slices of black pudding on top. Place salad opposite the aioli. Place a spoonful of the nettle pesto alongside.