Simple recipes, complex flavours

Transport the tastebuds with these gorgeous recipes: only the flavours are complex.

Crumbed swordfish with celeriac remoulade

2 cups fresh breadcrumbs

2 tbsp pine nuts, finely chopped

1 tbsp thyme leaves, finely chopped small handful parsley leaves, finely chopped

3 eggs

3 tbsp milk

plain flour, for dusting

4 x 200g swordfish fillets

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 lemon, cut into 4 wedges sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Celeriac remoulade

2 medium peeled celeriac, julienned

1 cup whole-egg mayonnaise, plus extra

4 tbsp Dijon mustard handful flat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped

4 tbsp salted baby capers, thoroughly rinsed, roughly chopped

10 baby cornichons, thoroughly rinsed, finely chopped

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

sea salt and freshly ground white pepper

Serves 4

MIX THE BREADCRUMBS, pine nuts, thyme and parsley in a medium bowl and season to taste. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and milk. Set aside.

USING ANOTHER BOWL, add enough flour to coat the fish pieces, shaking off excess. Place each fish piece into the egg wash, and then place into the crumb mix, pressing down to coat well, and shake off excess.

IN A LARGE NON-STICK FRYING PAN, heat the oil over medium heat and pan-fry fish pieces for about 2 minutes each side, until golden on both sides and cooked through. Drain on paper towel.

FOR THE REMOULADE, bring a medium pot of salted water to the boil and blanch celeriac for 30 seconds. Refresh immediately in iced water and drain thoroughly. Mix together remaining ingredients in a bowl to create a dressing and gently mix with the celeriac.

SEASON FISH AND REMOULADE to taste, and serve with lemon wedges and mayonnaise.

Simple pistachio ice-cream

6 egg yolks

175g caster sugar

600ml single cream

3 tbsp rose water

150g ground pistachios

Serves 10

CREAM THE EGG YOLKS and sugar together in a mixer until smooth, thick and pale. Transfer to a large stainless-steel bowl.

POUR THE CREAM into a small saucepan and bring to the boil over a medium heat. Gradually pour the hot cream over the egg mixture, beating continually.

PLACE THE BOWL over a pot of simmering water (making sure the base of the bowl does not touch the water) and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture thickens to a custard.

ADD THE ROSE WATER and fold through the pistachios. Allow the mixture to cool, then pour it into a serving bowl, cover with cling film and freeze overnight.

SERVE straight from the bowl.

HOT TIPS

Other fish work well here instead of swordfish, particularly those that are a bit "meatier", such as blue-eye trevalla, hapuka or snapper.

The remoulade is a great base for cooked prawns: simply serve them on top, cold and peeled, and finished with a squeeze of lemon.

Leave the rose water out of the ice-cream mix if it isn't to your taste. You could also try mixing the nuts up by making it half pistachio and half ground almonds.

This ice-cream is fantastic served with almond finger biscuits or with a Middle Eastern rice pudding.

SOMETHING TO DRINK

Complement the rich, bold flavours and textures of these dishes with a well-balanced chardonnay. Devil's Lair The Hidden Cave 2012 Chardonnay ($20) offers true Margaret River style: fine, poised and elegant, with plenty of flavour.