The vine leaf wrapping helps protect the fish from the heat of the barbecue as well as providing a pleasantly crisp coating. Any leftover lentil salad can be kept, refrigerated, for a few days and is delicious on its own or as a side dish with any grilled seafood, meat or poultry.
INGREDIENTS:
6 -12 preserved vine leaves (depending on size)
6 x 180g Goldband Snapper fillets, skin off, bones removed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Warm Lentil Salad
500g Puy-style lentils (see notes)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 fresh bay leaves
3 sprigs thyme
400ml dry white wine
900ml chicken stock
½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 large tomatoes, seeded and diced
200ml crème fraîche or sour cream
Salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
METHOD:
Start Warm Lentil Salad: place the lentils in a fine sieve, rinse under the tap and drain well. Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat, cook onion and garlic until soft but not coloured. Add lentils and cook for a further minute. Add bay leaves, thyme, white wine and enough stock to cover the lentils. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes until lentils are tender but still nutty. Add extra stock if necessary as the mixture dries out.
Meanwhile, rinse the vine leaves to remove excess brine and pat dry with paper towel. Lay out 1 or 2 vine leaves per fillet (depending on size), smooth side down, and wrap around the fish. Brush well with olive oil.
Heat a large frying pan, barbeque or char-grill plate.
When lentils are ready, cook wrapped fish for 4 minutes on one side, turn and cook other side for about 3 minutes, until flesh flakes easily when tested with a fork.
Stir parsley, tomatoes, crème fraîche, salt and pepper through lentils. Divide between plates. Cut fish parcels diagonally in half and place on top of lentils.
NOTES:
Puy lentils are small grey-green lentils originally imported from France, but now also grown in Australia; they are available from good delis and specialty food stores.
ALTERNATIVE SPECIES:
Blue-Eye Trevalla, Coral Trout, Emperor, Green Jobfish, King Snapper, Pearl Perch, Red Emperor, Ruby Snapper, Snapper.