Ceviche with salsa verde and shaved fennel salad recipe by John Loubser paired with Steenberg Reserve Sauvignon Blanc.
Ingredients
400 g fresh yellowtail or kabeljou (cob)
50 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
150 ml extra virgin olive oil
60 ml soy sauce
zest of 1 lemon
salt flakes and coarsely ground black pepper
Salsa Verde
a bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 fresh bay leaves
20 fresh basil leaves
2 cloves garlic
15 ml capers
2 salted anchovy fillets
5 ml prepared mustard
100 ml extra virgin olive oil
20 ml white wine vinegar
zest of 1 lemon ('preferably organic')
salt to taste
Shaved Fennel Salad
1 small fennel bulb
15 ml extra virgin olive oil
15 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
5 ml chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
15 ml chopped fresh dill
a pinch of salt flakes and coarsely ground black pepper
Recipe
Serves 4
Start with the salsa verde. Combine all ingredients in a blender and whizz to form a soft, green paste. Pass through a stainless steel strainer into a small bowl. Taste, and add salt as required. Set aside to allow flavours to develop. ('It can also be prepared the night before.')
Then prepare the fennel salad. Shave the fennel bulb into paper-thin slices by using a mandoline slicer. Then cut into thin strips. Mix with the rest of the ingredients in a bowl and leave for 30 minutes for the flavours to fuse.
To prepare the fish, use a very sharp knife and slice against the grain into fine slices (about 2 mm thick). Lay flat on a large serving platter in a neat line down the middle, leaving some space on the sides. Squeeze the lemon juice over the fish, covering every part of it. The acidity causes a chemical reaction that 'cooks' the fish, turning it opaque (or whitish) within minutes. ('It's "cooked" when all the fish is entirely opaque.')
To serve, place the fennel salad onto the centre of the fish. Drizzle a generous amount of olive oil over the fish, as well as onto the platter around the fish. Evenly spoon three servings of salsa verde along the side of the fish in the oil. Drizzle the soy sauce over the fennel salad, fish and olive oil and grate some extra lemon zest over the whole lot. Sprinkle lightly with salt flakes and coarsely ground black pepper.
Wine Pairing
Steenberg Reserve Sauvignon Blanc