This dish is excellent for warmer weather months, the adaptation of a classic combination (peas and ham, or in this case – peas and lomo) with suitable summer ingredients such as mussels and john dory.
Great as a shared dish, or to consume solo, the smokiness of the mussels complement the lomo, while the peas provide a textural pop. Head Chef at Huxtable, Daniel Wilson cites john dory as being one of his favourite fish to cook, enjoying the firmness and sweetness, and “how it goes a little crispy when pan fried in clarified butter.”
Serves 4 as part of a shared meal
INGREDIENTS
500 gm john dory fillets, skinned & boned
2 tbsp clarified butter
350 gm fresh peas, shelled
100 gm lomo, diced
50 gm butter, diced
1⁄2 b parsley, washed & coarsely chopped
1 kg mussels, scrubbed & debearded 1 shallot, sliced
2 garlic cloves, sliced
METHOD
1 Heat a little vegetable oil in a large saucepan over a high heat and sweat the shallot & garlic for 30 seconds then add the mussels. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until they have all opened. Strain the mussels and reserve the liquid. Once the mussels have cooled recheck for beards and then put them in the liquid.
2 Prepare your smoker or alternatively use an old pot or wok lined with foil in the bottom and then place your wood chips on the foil. Heat until the wood starts to smoke. Place the mussels in the mussel stock into the smoker and turn down the heat to low. Smoke for 30-30 minutes depending on how smoked you want the mussels. Remove from smoker and allow to cool.
3 To make the pea fricassée place the peas, lomo, and mussel stock into a saucepan and simmer until the peas are almost done. Add the mussels and cook until the peas are done, stir in the butter and parsley. You probably wont need any salt but maybe a little pepper.
4 At the same time heat a large non stick pan over a high heat with the clarified butter and season the john dory with salt and pepper and then cook it for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Serve the peas into a wide bowl and place the John Dory fillets on top. Serve with a loaf of crusty sourdough to mop up all of the juices!
The Carousel thanks Huxtable chef restauranteur Daniel Wilson for this recipe
About Huxtable
Smith Street’s Huxtable is the brainchild of three long time hospitality gurus: Jeff Wong, Dante Ruaine and Daniel Wilson. The tight-knit trio have spent many years determining ‘what works’ in Melbourne dining, settling on a share plate concept where main dishes can be chosen from land, sea, or earth categories.
