Fresh Shark Fillets with a Creamy Pesto Sauce served on a Bed of Rice,
Garnished with Fresh Cos Lettuce, Cucumber, Onion, Sprouts and Capsicum
PESTO
1/4 clove of garlic, chopped
3 good handfuls of fresh basil, picked (these days you can also get
purple basil from the supermarkets, so you can make purple pesto which
can be used in many dishes - and makes a nice change)
1 handful of lightly roasted pine nuts
1 good handful of grated parmesan cheese
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Small squeeze lemon juice (optional)
Place garlic into a pestle and mortar. Pound with fresh basil leaves.
Add the golden roasted pine nuts to the mixture and pound. Turn out
into a bowl and add half the parmesan. Gently stir this in and add the
olive oil, just enough to bind the sauce and get it to the right
consistency - semi-wet but firm.
Taste the mixture, and add a little salt and pepper to taste and then
the rest of the cheese. Add some more oil and taste again. Keep adding
a little bit more until you get it right - this is the way to make
pesto. There are no real rules, but as long as you make it fresh and
use the best ingredients it'll always taste superb. Lemon juice is not
listed in all pesto recipes, but it brings the fragrance of the basil
out and taste is quite nice.
CREAM SAUCE
Place two cups of cream into a saucepan over medium heat until reduced
or slightly thickened. Stir in pesto to taste and keep warm.
SHARK FILLETS
4 x 250gms Shark fillets
While cream is reducing, baste shark fillets with extra virgin olive oil
and place onto BBQ heat. Cook over medium heat turning once until not
soft and not firm.
To serve....
In the corner of each plate neatly place 1/2 cup hot rice prepared
earlier, place BBQ fish fillets on top pouring your creamy pesto sauce
over the top. Quickly toss 4 handfuls fresh baby cos lettuce, 1/2 green
and 1/2 red capsicum cut julienne, 2 small handfuls sprouts, half red
onion sliced and 1/4 cucumber sliced
Serves four
Enjoy, Sky Mansted