Dramatically Flavoured Olive Oil Poached Fish

This a beautiful way to cook fish, softly poached in a dramatically flavoured olive oil. The colour is something reminiscent of the Incredible Hulk, but only when the herbs have fully relinquished all of their flavour. You need large bunches of herbs here, so head to the local markets. The tiny packets in the general supermarket will not suffice for this recipe. I adore the flavour combination of Thai basil, coriander and kaffir lime leaves. However, the French classics would work well here too; tarragon, sage, parsley and fennel. Or if you prefer to keep things simple, stick to your favourite soft herb for maximum flavour. I used monkfish here as it's consistently the same thickness throughout the fillet. You want a denser fish such as hapuka or even a tuna fillet would be lovely here.

You will need some cheesecloth for this recipe. While not traditionally found in everyone's kitchen, it is easily sourced from kitchen stores, or Spotlight.  I find having a little bit in the drawer is not stressful and handy for a few other dishes as well. If you don't have cheesecloth, I would recommend a fine sieve in it's place. Please do note, this recipe takes time. A little more than most people are prepared to deal with midweek. Thus I've labelled it weekend cooking. Take your time, make sure the oil is blended well and there are no remnants of the aromatics. This dramatically flavoured olive oil also makes a gorgeous addition to a sauce. Stirred through a sour cream dip the vibrancy of the colour really does pop.

I serve this fish with some simple roasted potatoes and green vegetables. Not much else needs to happen on the plate as the olive oil is the star.