Author Type: Chef
Serves 24 (divide as required to suit portion size)
Ingredients
48 asparagus spears
10 red peppers, roasted, peeled and sliced
24 deep fried basil leaves
500 g fresh peas
Gnocchi:
8 desiree potatoes, peeled
1 egg, beaten
40 g parmesan, grated
400 g plain flour
Pinch of salt
Pinch pepper
Pesto:
200 ml olive oil
3 tbsp toasted pine nuts
2 tbsp grated parmesan
2 cups basil, picked and washed
1/2 tsp crushed garlic
Salt and pepper
Olive emulsion:
20 pitted black olives
5 shallots, sliced
3 garlic cloves, sliced
200 ml fish stock
100 ml dry white wine
400 ml thickened cream
Basil oil:
1 cup basil leaves
300 ml olive oil
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup parsley
Method
Gnocchi:
Simmer potatoes in salted water till tender, drain then dry in low oven. Mouli potatoes then in a bowl add egg, cheese and flour, mix well until it becomes dough. Lightly flour bench, roll dough into long sausage shapes, then cut into 1.5 x 1.5cm portions. Blanch in a pot of lightly salted water for approximately 1 minute, remove and refresh in iced water, drain and set aside.
Pesto:
Using a food processor, add all ingredients, process till it becomes a smooth paste, making sure that it is seasoned to taste.
Olive emulsion:
Reduce stock, wine, shallots and garlic by half; add cream, simmer, and season. Add olives, puree and strain through a fine chinois, set aside in a small saucepan.
Basil oil:
Blanch basil and parsley in salted, boiling water for 20 seconds, refresh in iced water, using a clean tea towel squeeze out excess water.
Using a food processor, blend basil, oil & seasoning, let it infuse for 30 minutes, strain and place in a squeeze bottle.
To serve
Season salmon fillets, lightly oil and cook skin side down to medium rare. Blanch
5 pieces of gnocchi, 2 asparagus spears and 1 tbsp peas per portion. To re-heat, add 6 strips of roasted peppers, gnocchi, asparagus, and peas in a small saucepan and stir in 1 teaspoon of pesto, season.
Using a plastic ring in the centre of a large white plate as a guide, place gnocchi mixture within the ring, remove the ring gently and place the cooked salmon on top.
Foam olive sauce using a stick blender and spoon foam around the plate.
Garnish with a fried basil leaf on top of the fish and basil oil around the plate.
Michael Conrad