Ingredients
4 x 180g white fish fillets

salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ cup rice flour

3 egg whites, beaten with 1 tbsp water

2 cups shredded coconut

½ telegraph cucumber, deseeded and diced

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

¼ cup fresh mint leaves, chopped

juice of 1 lime

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup butter, melted

2 lemons, halved width-wise

extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Method

​Season each fish fillet with salt and pepper. Dust with rice flour, dip into egg white mixture and coat in coconut. Set aside in the refrigerator (this will allow the egg white to harden and set, making the crust stick better).

Place the cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and mint leaves into a medium-sized bowl and toss together. Dress with lime juice and olive oil and season to taste. Set aside.

Place frying-pan onto a medium heat, add the melted butter and pan fry the fish until golden, turning once. Add the lemon halves to the frying pan cut side down, and allow to caramelise alongside the fish.

Place a mound of salad onto each plate. Place the coconut crusted fish on top of the salad, drizzle with olive oil, and garnish with caramelised lemons.

An image from The New Zealand Seafood Cookbook.
Text by Auckland Seafood School and contributing chefs; with food photography by Sean Shadbolt.
Published by Penguin Group NZ. ©Auckland Seafood School, 2009.