Semi-cured Amberjack Recipe

Cure the fish

Pat the amberjack fillet dry. Mix kosher salt, granulated sugar and cracked black pepper. On a tray lined with plastic wrap, spread half of the cure mixture. Place the fillet skin-side down, lay dill sprigs on the flesh (if using), then cover with remaining cure. Wrap tightly. Refrigerate weighted (place another tray or a small cutting board on top) for 2–3 hours for semi-cure (shorter time yields more raw texture).

Rinse and rest

After curing, unwrap and rinse the fillet thoroughly under cold water to remove excess salt and sugar. Pat dry with paper towels. Brush with neutral oil and let rest at fridge temperature for 10–15 minutes to settle the texture. Thinly slice against the grain into 3–4 mm slices just before plating.

Char or roast tomatoes: halve tomatoes and place cut-side down in a hot skillet or under a broiler with a pinch of salt until skins blacken slightly and flesh softens (8–10 minutes). Alternatively, smoke whole tomatoes briefly over wood smoke for a stronger flavor.

Blend dressing: Transfer warm tomatoes to a blender with olive oil, sherry vinegar, smoked paprika, minced garlic, salt and black pepper. Purée until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning. Chill until service; dressing should be pourable but slightly thick.

Char the onion

Halve the red onion and char cut sides in a dry skillet or on a grill until deeply browned and softened (6–8 minutes). Allow to cool, then finely chop or purée to a smooth paste.

Make the mayonnaise

In a clean bowl whisk egg yolks with Dijon mustard and white wine vinegar. Begin to drizzle the neutral oil very slowly while whisking constantly to emulsify. Once the emulsion starts, you can increase to a thin steady stream and continue until the mayonnaise has thickened. Fold in the charred onion paste, lemon juice and salt. If too thick, adjust with a tsp or two of warm water. Chill until service.

Prepare brine: In a small saucepan combine rice vinegar, water, sugar, salt and mustard seeds. Bring to a low simmer just until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and add bay leaf.

Pickle the turnips: Place julienned turnips in a jar or bowl and pour the warm brine over them. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (preferably 2 hours) before service. Keep refrigerated; quick-pickles will keep 5–7 days.

Cook and strain tomatoes: Place chopped tomatoes in a saucepan with caster sugar, lemon juice and salt. Bring to a simmer and cook 5–7 minutes to dissolve sugar and concentrate flavor. Cool slightly, then purée and pass through a fine sieve to remove seeds and skins. If mixture is too thick, add up to 30 ml water to reach a spoonable consistency.

Churn and freeze: Chill the purée thoroughly in the refrigerator. Churn in an ice-cream maker according to manufacturer instructions until sorbet consistency is achieved, then freeze for at least 1 hour to firm. If you don't have an ice-cream maker, freeze in a shallow tray and stir every 20 minutes until frozen and smooth.

Plate components: Spoon a few dots or a thin smear of charred onion mayonnaise on each plate where fish will sit. Arrange 4–6 thin slices of semi-cured amberjack over the mayo. Spoon or drizzle the smoked tomato dressing around and over the fish sparingly.

Add pickles and sorbet: Place small piles of turnip pickles near the fish for acidity and crunch. Using a small scoop, add one quenelle (or small spoonful) of tomato sorbet to each plate — serve immediately so it remains cold against the fish.

Finish and serve: Finish with a light drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a few microgreens or dill tips, and a dusting of lemon zest. Serve immediately so the sorbet remains cold and the cured fish retains texture.