Pan-roasted Hapuku Fillet with Saut��ed Paua,
Preserved Lemon Butter and Pea Crush
Serves 6
Step 1. Preserved Lemon Butter
250g salted butter, at room
temperature
2 preserved lemons, skin only, finely
chopped
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh tarragon
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
1���2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh red
chilli
finely grated zest and juice of 2 lemons
and pulse gently to thicken but not pur��e.
Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until
required.
In a small bowl add all the ingredients,
and with clean hands work together until
completely combined.
Cut a piece of plastic wrap and lay it on the
bench.
Now form the flavoured butter into a
sausage shape and lay it at one end of the
plastic wrap. Roll it up and twist the ends
like a Christmas cracker. Place the preserved
lemon butter in the fridge until required.
Step 4. To Cook and Serve
Pea Crush
6 x 100g hapuku fillets
canola oil for cooking
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Paua
Preserved Lemon Butter
2 lemons, cut into wedges
Step 2. Pea Crush
2 tablespoons butter
�� cup finely diced shallots
1�� cups chicken stock
3 cups fresh or frozen peas, blanched and
shocked in iced water
1 cup spinach leaves, washed and thinly
sliced
�� cup cream
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Place a saucepan on a medium heat. Sweat
the butter and shallots for about 5 minutes
until translucent. Add the chicken stock and
reduce to about a �� cup of liquid. Now stir
through the peas and spinach and cook for a
minute, or until the spinach wilts. Remove
from the heat and stir through the cream.
Pour the pea mixture into a food processer
Step 3. To Prepare the Paua
3 whole paua
Using a tenderising mallet, pound the paua
steaks until you feel the muscle loosen up.
With a sharp knife, slice the paua into thin
5mm strips. Refrigerate until required.
Heat up the pea crush in a small saucepan
over a low heat or in the microwave until
hot. Keep warm.
Heat a large skillet to a high temperature
and pour in a little canola oil. Season the
hapuku with salt and pepper. Sear the fish
on both sides until golden and cooked
through. Remove from the pan.
Season the paua with salt and pepper. In
the hot skillet quickly cook the paua on
both sides until caramelised. Remove the
paua from the pan, then add about half of
the preserved lemon butter and melt in the
residual heat. Freeze the remaining butter to
use in the future.
Place a little pea crush in the centre of each
plate and top with a portion of hapuku.
Then add the paua and spoon the melted
preserved lemon butter over the food. Finish
with a wedge of fresh lemon and serve.
Extracts reprinted with permission
from Get Fresh by Al Brown.
Random House NZ, $60
Photography by Kieran Scott
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