‘Smoked Kahawai Nom Nom’ and ‘Snort’s Secret Salsa’

Kahawai is a fish that is often underrated but it can be delicious as Marion Day shows us in these two recipes.

From their small wooden boat Dinny Dory she and her partner Steve trawl for kahawai straight in front of their house in Clova Bay, a remote area in the Marlborough Sounds.

Many more recipes and stories about their amazing life can be found in her new book Passion. Living, Feasting and Writing deep in the Marlborough Sounds

Snort’s Secret Salsa

2 fresh kahawai fillets, finely sliced

2 tbsp of capers

2 tbsp olive oil, good quality

Fresh coriander, finely chopped

2 red shallots, finely sliced

Salt and cracked pepper

Lemon Juice

Extra coriander for garnish

Seaweed crisps

Place kahawai, capers, olive oil, coriander and red shallots in a bowl. Mix and season well to taste.

The secret: Add lemon juice ( to cook the fish) 2 minutes before serving-not before.

Serve straight away on individual plates, or on a small platter.

Garnish with coriander and surround with seaweed crips.

Smoked Kahawai Nom Nom

Although it has several steps this recipe is one of my favourites

Hot Chilli Syrup

125 ml red wine vinegar

½ cup of castor sugar

½ tsp hot chilli sauce

Place vinegar and sugar in a small saucepan. Simmer gently for 5 minutes until sugar dissolves to a light syrup. Remove from heat and cool. Stir through chilli sauce to season. Store in a jar or similar at room temperature until required.

Kumara Salad

1kg golden kumara

½ cup of red onion finely diced

½ cup of gherkins, roughly chopped

1 cup mayonnaise

Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Peel kumara, cut into 1-centimetre cubes and place in a large saucepan with just enough salted water to cover. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until tender (5-7 minutes). Tip into a colander to drain, then spread on a flat tray to cool.  Mix remaining ingredients and gently fold into the kumara. Store in fridge until required.

Avocado Salad

2 large ripe avocados

Juice and zest of 2 limes

¼ cup of coriander leaves

2 tbsp lemon fennel oil

Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

Peel avocados, cut into 1-centimetre cubes and place in a large mixing bowl. Dress with lime juice and zest, coriander leaves and lemon fennel oil. Gently fold ingredients together and season to taste. Store in fridge until required.

Plating and Serving

Kumara Salad

Avocado salad

2 smoked kahawai fillets (warm)

Micro herbs

Hot chilli syrup

Avocado oil

Lime Juice

Sea Salt

Place a 10-centimetre serving ring in the centre of each plate.

Add an amount of kumara salad into the bottom then top with a loose layer of avocado mix.

Portion out large flakes of warm kahawai and place on top of the avocado.

Arrange micro herbs around the salad and fish, then drizzle over avocado oil and chilli syrup.

Squeeze over a lime quarter and season with a pinch of sea salt.

For micro herbs I just nip out the buds of any of my herbs that I think will go well with the dish.

These two recipes come from: Passion. Living, Feasting and Writing deep in the Marlborough Sounds by Marion Day. $65. Available from www.marionday.nz