BBQ barramundi with pomegranate and green olive tabbouleh

Created by: Australian Barramundi
Chef: Jacqui Challinor, Nomad
Serves: 4-6
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes

Jacqui Challinor’s BBQ barramundi is a great excuse to fire up the BBQ this summer. It’s the perfect dish to share with family or close friends for a relaxed long lunch. Don’t forget to soak your almonds overnight for a beautifully smooth almond puree!

Ingredients

  • 1 whole Australian barramundi, scaled and pin boned
  • 1 tbsp sumac
  • 275g blanched almonds
  • 1 large clove garlic
  • 10g sourdough, crust removed
  • 200ml extra virgin olive oil
  • 185ml chilled almond water (see method)
  • 120ml lemon juice
  • ½ cup pomegranate
  • ½ cup gordal olives, pitted and diced
  • ¼ cup parsley leaves, finely shredded
  • ¼ cup mint leaves, finely shredded
  • 6 green shallots, finely sliced
  • 50 ml pomegranate molasses
  • Sea salt to taste

Method

  1. One day ahead, soak almonds overnight in 500ml water. Strain almonds from water and reserve 185ml of chilled almond water for the puree.
  2. Place 210g soaked almonds, garlic and sourdough into a food processor and blitz until a fine paste.
  3. Slowly add 100ml olive oil in a steady stream, scraping down the sides of the processor to ensure even mixing.
  4. Once oil is incorporated, slowly add the chilled water in a steady stream until emulsified, again making sure to scrape the sides of the bowl.
  5. Add lemon 40ml lemon juice and salt to taste, remove from mixer and set aside at room temperature for an hour to settle and thicken up.
  6. Heat BBQ to a medium temperature. Brush skin and flesh of barramundi with olive oil and season well with sea salt. Place on BBQ.
  7. While barramundi is cooking, combine pomegranate, olives, remaining almonds, parsley, mint, shallots, 100ml olive oil, 80ml lemon juice and pomegranate molasses into a bowl and season with salt. Mix well and set aside.
  8. Cook barramundi ¾ of the way through on one side then gently turn to allow the rest to cook through. Remove from BBQ and rest.
  9. Liberally spread almond puree on a large platter and top with pomegranate tabbouleh. Sprinkle sumac over salad then place the barramundi on top.