By Eduardo Gandia Martinez, Hilton Malta – Prep time: 30min – Serves: 1
Ingredients
For the seaweed chlorophyll base:
250g ecological Galician codium
150g fresh wakame
150g fresh kombu
Salt to taste
3g agar agar
1 gelatin leaf
1 litre cold water
200g fresh red snapper
For marinated local olives:
2kg green and black olives
Extra virgin olive oil to taste
Spices & aromatics (citrus & bay leaves) to taste
For the salad:
Wakame to taste
Kombu to taste
Sea lettuce and codium to taste
Courgette skin to taste
Marinated olive oil, vinegar, soy sauce to taste
Method
Gelatin base:
Wash all the seaweed to remove excess salt. Blend the seaweed with cold water at maximum speed for at least 8 minutes. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve and measure out 200ml. Dissolve the agar agar in the mixture and boil until it reaches 85°C. Remove from heat and add the pre-hydrated gelatin leaf. Pour this mixture into the base of a circular plate and refrigerate.
Salad:
Blanch each type of seaweed separately in boiling water until tender, then place them in ice water to retain some crispiness. Slice the seaweed thinly and carefully to create a delicate salad. Dress with extra virgin olive oil, a good-quality vinegar, and just a drop of soy sauce.
Plating:
Heat a pan with some olive oil and place the fish skin-side down. Press gently for a few seconds to keep the skin flat. Lower the heat and cook the fish only on the skin side. Warm the plate in the oven or plate warmer for a few seconds, allowing the gelatin base to soften without losing its shape. Carefully arrange the fish, salad, and a few slices of marinated olives, alternating colours for presentation. Add a few dots of crème fraîche to balance the umami-rich flavours with acidity and freshness. Garnish with green herbs or chives.
