Olive oil poached salmon trout with apple spinach ragoût and white wine foam
Fish with flair
At the Grande Roche in Paarl, a traditional Cape farmstead setting with well over 300 years of history is venerated through the grace of the restored lodges. We asked Roland Gorgosilich, who has been the executive chef for the past seven months, to pair the top-rated unwooded Chenin Blanc in this year's Guala Closures Chenin Challenge, the Simonsig 2007, with a dish based on produce sourced in the area - one of his key ideologies.
I'm immediately hit by an initial colour contrast of salmon trout adorning puréed spinach with finely diced Golden Delicious green apple. A white wine foam forms a subtle border, also finishing off with a fine flavour flourish. Gorgosilich tells me he chose the salmon trout with its finer texture to suit the elegance of this particular Chenin, and notes that meatier salmon would be first choice for a wine with heavier weight and flavour.
The fresh, crisp apple works well with the Simonsig, providing both complementary fruitiness and acidity. Watercress and beetroot salad resonates with the wine's slightly peppery finish, while the whole composition reflects its elegance and structure.
One of Gorgosilich's main approaches is to formulate slightly diff erent versions of a dish, and to update the menu every six weeks or so following the seasonal flow.
Taking good old-fashioned, wholesome food concepts, with some inspiration from his Austrian background, he gives conventional dishes local flair - his Amarula crème brûlée, for instance. Working with the sommelier, he also often tweaks a recipe to suit a particular wine from an impressive list comprising over 600 wines.
Gorgosilich observes that the Grande Roche offers fine dining in a nonetheless informal setting. From the hotel's relaxed lunch to its more formal Bosman's dinner, the aim is to cover the spectrum of the ultimate out-to-dine occasion.
Olive oil poached salmon trout with apple spinach ragoût and white wine foam
100g fresh salmon trout
300ml extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove
1 sprig each rosemary and thyme
Add the garlic, rosemary and thyme to the olive oil. Place on stove and heat to 65°C. Remove from stove and place the fish in this olive oil "bath" for 15 minutes.
RAGOÛT
300g washed English spinach
50g white onions
30g unsalted butter
1 Golden Delicious apple
80g full cream
Nutmeg
Cut the spinach into strips and the onions and apples into cubes. Melt the butter and sauté the onions. When transparent, add the spinach strips until soft. Remove from the heat, place in a bowl and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Add the cream to the spinach and onion ragoût and mix with a blender until fi ne and creamy. Add the cubed apple and seasoning.
WHITE WINE FOAM
500ml fi sh stock
100ml white wine (Chenin Blanc)
150ml cream
Salt, pepper, lemon juice
Reduce the fish stock to 300ml. Add the white wine, then reduce again to 150ml. Add the cream and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the salt, pepper and lemon juice.
SALAD
1 Golden Delicious apple
1 T cress
Olive oil
Fleur de sel (sea salt)
Cut the apple into fine slices and then into strips. Mix with the cress, season with sea salt and drizzle with olive oil.
TO PLATE
Heat the spinach-apple ragoût and place in the centre of a plate. Place the fish on a paper towel to remove the excess oil. Place on top of the spinach-apple ragoût. Place the salad on top of the fish. Heat the white wine foam to 70°C and blend, then place around the fish.
Grande Roche, Plantasie Street, Paarl. Tel 021 863 5100. www.granderoche.com
