Snapper Steaks with Butter Beans and Bacon

, from Issue #16. September, 2015
Photography by Vanessa Wu.
Snapper Steaks with Butter Beans and Bacon

Other firm white fish such as hapuku or monkfish also work well in this recipe.

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

4 x 200 gram snapper steaks, skin on
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
2 cloves garlic, crushed
½ teaspoon paprika
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
16 large black olives

Beans
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 onion, diced
1 stick celery, thinly sliced
100 grams streaky bacon, sliced
2 x 400 gram tins large butter beans, drained
1½ cups fish or chicken stock
1 tomato, diced
¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
squeeze of lemon juice
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

METHOD

Beans: Heat the oil in a sauté pan and cook the rosemary, garlic, carrot, onion, celery and bacon until tender. Add the beans and stock and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the tomatoes, flat-leaf parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice. Season.

Fish: Combine the oil, rosemary, garlic and paprika and rub onto both sides of the fish. Season. Heat a large sauté pan with a little oil. Add the fish and olives and cook for 3-4 minutes each side or until just cooked through. Cooking time will depend on the thickness of the fish.

To serve: Spoon the beans into shallow soup plates and top with the fish and olives. Garnish with lemon wedges.