The Chef's Kitchen

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Barramundi over Quinoa with Watermelon Feta Salad

Ingredients
Watermelon Feta Salad:

Parsley oil
1 qt packed parsley
1 ½ cup olive oil
1 T. salt
1 T. sugar
¼ lemon juice
Puree all ingredients
Meyers Lemon Olive Oil
Fresh Lemons
Watermelon, medium or large diced
Fresh Oregano
Feta (a block, not crumbled)
Baby Arugula

Ingredients
Pickled Red Onions:

2 red onions, julienned
¾ cup sugar
½ cup red wine vinegar
2 pinches salt
1 pinch black pepper
¼ cup water
Bring all ingredients to boil, simmer for 2 minutes, take off heat and chill.

Method:
Toss 4 handfuls of baby arugula in a bowl with Meyers lemon olive oil. In another bowl, toss 3 cups watermelon chunks, oregano sprigs, pickled red onions, grape tomatoes, with a touch more lemon oil and fresh squeezed lemon juice from a 1/2 lemon.

Put baby arugula down on plate first, then adding watermelon mixture on top of the arugula.  Cut a slice of feta and add on top of each salad.  Grind fresh ground black pepper on top of feta.

Barramundi over Quinoa Salad:
Pan seared Barramundi served with chilled quinoa salad tossed in a cilantro lime vinaigrette with cucumbers, red onions, grape tomatoes, edamame.  Finished with a tomato butter compound.

Ingredients:
4- 6/8 oz. portions of Barramundi, skin on or off.  If kept on, score the skin toprevent buckling when cooking
2 cups of quinoa, rinsed
6 cups of water
2 cups diced cucumbers, seeded
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
¼ cup of small diced red onion
1 cup shelled edamame

Ingredients
Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette:

½ cup fresh cilantro, rough chopped
2 T. fresh lime juice
1 ½ tsp. ground cumin
¼ c. white balsamic vinegar
2/3 c. canola oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Puree all ingredients except oil.
Once pureed, slowly add oil, add salt and pepper to taste.

Ingredients
Tomato compound butter:

2 lbs. unsalted butter, softened
¼ cup chopped parsley
¼ cup chopped basil
2 T. raw minced garlic
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
¼ cup tomato paste

Method: 
Whip butter until light and fluffy. Add remaining ingredients and mix until incorporated. Roll into small logs, wrap in parchment paper and freeze. Pull to use as needed, letting soften to room temperature for easier use.

Pan sear Barramundi, lightly seasoned with salt and pepper, skin side first. Finish in oven at 400 degrees for 5-10 more minutes. While cooking in oven, toss quinoa and vegetables with some of the cilantro lime vinaigrette, also add fresh cilantro chopped with mixture.

Place quinoa mix on plate, placing the fish on top. Add a tab of tomato butter on top of fish letting it melt into a nice sauce over the fish.