This is a good hearty winter dish, with potato, cabbage and a rich cream sauce.
Ingredients:
4 x 180g thick Snapper fillets, skin on, bones removed
Salt flakes and freshly ground white pepper, to taste
75g butter
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 rashers bacon, finely sliced
400g Savoy cabbage, finely sliced
⅓ cup water
600g desiree potatoes, boiled, peeled, cut into bite-sized chunks (see notes)
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
¼ cup dry white wine
½ cup cream
Method:
Cut several slashes into the skin of each fillet, sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper, cover and refrigerate until needed.
Heat a high-sided frying pan over a medium heat; melt a third of the butter, add the garlic and bacon. Stir occasionally until the bacon begins to crisp. Reduce the heat, add the cabbage and water and cook, covered, for 5-7 minutes, until it’s just tender. Remove from pan and keep warm.
Melt half the remaining butter in the pan and add the potatoes. Cook for 5-8 minutes, until they just begin to colour, stirring occasionally. Add the parsley, remove from pan and keep warm.
Add remaining butter to the pan. Cook the fillets, skin-side down, until their edges become opaque. Turn and cook on the other side until opaque and flesh flakes easily when tested with a fork. Remove to a warm plate.
Add wine to the pan and stir well to loosen any cooked on bits of fish or vegetable from the bottom of the pan. Boil for a few minutes then stir in cream and a pinch of salt, return to the boil and cook until reduced to a sauce consistency.
Divide the potato and cabbage mixtures between plates, top with a fillet and spoon a little sauce over the fish. Serve the remaining sauce separately.
Notes: Desiree are a good all-purpose potato; you could also use bintje, pontiac, spunta or pink-eye.
Alternative species: Blue-Eye Trevalla, Blue Warehou, Emperor, Goldband Snapper, Mulloway, Pearl Perch, Queenfish, Red Emperor, Silver Warehou, Trevally.