What was the chef’s inspiration?
Barramundi is an imported fish that was not being used by anyone at the time in Abu Dhabi. Chef van Zyl wanted to introduce its unique flavour, combining it with simple technique.
Ingredients
(serves one)
For the fish
• 180g barramundi fillet
• salt and pepper
• ½ lemon (juiced)
For the violet potato mash
• 150g violet potatoes
• 50ml milk
• 50ml cream
• 5g butter
• salt and pepper
For the lemon butter sauce
• 50ml lemon juice
• 10g shallots
• 1g fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1g black peppercorns
• 30g butter
• 100ml cream
• salt and pepper
Garnish
• edema beans
• dried baby plum tomatoes
Method
For the sauce
1. Reduce the lemon juice with the shallots, thyme, bay leaves and black peppercorns.
2. Add the cream and slowly bring to the boil.
3. Whisk the butter slowly into the cream.
4. Season with salt and pepper.
For the violet mash potato
1. Boil the potatoes in water until soft, then strain and peel.
2. Mash the potatoes using a potato ricer.
3. In a pot, heat the cream and milk until just below boiling point.
4. Add the cream/milk mixture
to the mashed violet potatoes and fold it in.
5. Slowly add the butter and mix.
6. Season with salt and pepper.
For the fish
1. Season the fish with salt and pepper and a little lemon juice.
2. Grill in a pan with olive oil on all sides and place in the oven at 180˚C for ten minutes.
Final presentation
Place the violet mash on a rectangular plate and, with a spoon, drag it along the plate. In the centre of the plate place the fish. Drizzle the sauce around the fish and serve. Arrange the edema beans and dried tomatoes around the mash potato.
The Chef
Name: Anja van Zyl
Nationality: South African
Anja van Zyl was born and raised in Namibia and underwent chef’s training in Namibia and South Africa. She lived in South Africa for a number of years, working in hotels and on grape estates including Mount Nelson and the Relais & Châteaux Asara Estate & Hotel. From there, Anja moved to the Maldives before relocating to Abu Dhabi. Chef van Zyl is inspired by simple ingredients, Asian and European cuisine with an added modern spin, and keeping food simple with unique, fresh flavour techniques and combinations.
Describe your restaurant in one sentence…
Located at the end of the jetty in front of the Beach Wing, Finz restaurant is housed in a unique wooden structure, built on a pontoon-like base overlooking the sea. The dress code is smart casual.
Open daily 12.30pm-3.30pm; 7pm-11.30pm. Beach Rotana Abu Dhabi, Tourist Club Area, www.rotana.com (02 697 9000).
