While staying at the Sofitel Melbourne on Collins, we had the opportunity to experience the food of Chef Stuart McVeigh. He is a well-respected English chef who previously has worked with leading London restaurants.
Chef Stuart McVeigh
Located on the 35th floor of the Sofitel, the menu for No35 reflects McVeigh’s “modern European” cuisine. The chef says, “I am fortunate in Australia to have access to some amazing produce. I enjoy the challenge of finding new exciting local foods as the seasons change and now have a better understanding of the produce that I use and how I should treat it to get the best out of it.”
The extensive Sofitel wine list has been crafted by Kyriacos Christodoulou, Sommelier, and it offers a variety to please the most discriminating palate.
While dining at No35, the views of Melbourne are spectacular. Overall, it is easy to see why the Sofitel on Collins is favored by the corporate and local market as the place to meet and eat.
Stuart was willing to share his favorite dish for the season. “To say I have a favorite dish is not necessarily true. I love all of the dishes I create for a certain time at least. In saying that, the Kingfish Ceviche, for me, is a real winner.”
Kingfish Ceviche
Kingfish Ceviche
Ingredients:
- Fresh raw kingfish cured to order with fleur de sel.*
- The sea salt and the acidity of the dressing cure it in a few minutes.
- Serve with avocado, native lime, orange, ruby grapefruit, and shaved calamari, as shown in the photo.
Dressing: (Similar to an escabeche vinaigrette) Chef McVeigh, like many chefs, does not necessarily use exact ingredients. It is frequently just taste and experience. He says, “The original idea for the dressing came from an escabeche vinaigrette, which is a classic dressing served with fish… It is thickened lightly with xantham gum** so it clings to the fish better.” I am including measurements that are mine and not the chef’s. You really need to do this by taste.
Ingredients:
¼ cup orange juice
zest from 1 orange
zest from 1 lemon
½ teas fennel seeds
½ teas coriander seeds
sprigs of thyme for each serving
3/4 cup olive oil
touch of Pernod (licorice liqueur)
salt and sugar to taste
native lime, squeezed
1 green chili, diced fine
1 tablespoon Xantham gum ** (you could substitute arrowroot, flour, or corn starch as a thickening agent)
..
Method:
Mix all the dressing ingredients together, except the Xantham gum.
After mixed, take a ¼ cup of the liquid and stir in the gum to make a paste, then blend into the dressing.
This dressing is used to marinate the Kingfish. It should not take longer than 5 or 10 minutes.
The chef describes as “A definite winner on a hot summer’s day.”
,
Maralyn’s Notes:
*Fleur de sel is a French term for hand-harvested sea salt. It is the top layer of salt before it sinks to the bottom of the large saltpans. This is collected off the coast of Brittany and is relatively scarce. You could substitute Fleur de sel de I’lle de Re from western France, Flor de sal from the Algarve region of Portugal, Pangasinan salt from the Philippines, or a high quality sea salt.
**Xantham Gum is used by people who are allergic to gluten to add volume and viscosity to bread and other gluten-free baked goods. It is made from a tiny microorganism called Xanthomonas campestris and is a natural carbohydrate.
………
Freelance travel writer Maralyn D. Hill, The Epicurean Explorer, is President of the International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association. Maralyn focuses on food, spas, travel, and wine, while still covering meetings, incentives, and corporate assignments.
Website, Blogs & Email: Where and What in the World, NoraLyn, IFWTWA Profile, mdhill@noralyn.com
………….
