Seared Amberjack
with raw and thyme-roasted peach and Vermentino reduction
Difficulty
Difficult
Preparation
20 min
Cooking
30 min
Serves
4
Category
Main courses
Season
Summer
Cuisine
Contemporary
Skin-on amberjack fillets, double-cooked sous vide and pan-seared, thyme-roasted peaches, raw diced peach and Vermentino reduction with pink peppercorns
Propaganda's Seared Amberjack is a summer main course: skin-on fillets cooked first sous vide in a low-temperature steam oven, then seared skin-side down until the skin is crispy and golden. The dish is built on a double approach to peach — thinly sliced and roasted with thyme at the base, then diced and raw on top — and on a Vermentino reduction with thyme and whole pink peppercorns, sweetened with honey. Three temperatures, two peach textures, a precise balance between the acidity of the wine, the sweetness of the fruit and the savouriness of the fish.
Ingredients
For the amberjack
Amberjack fillets, skin on4 (150–180 g)
Extra virgin olive oilto taste
Saltto taste
For the roasted peaches
Peaches, thinly sliced2–3
Fresh thymeto taste
Extra virgin olive oilto taste
Saltto taste
For the raw diced peach
Peaches, cut into small dice2
Fresh thymeto taste
Extra virgin olive oilto taste
Saltto taste
For the Vermentino reduction
Vermentino wine300 ml
Fresh thymeto taste
Whole pink peppercornsto taste
Honey1 tbsp
Method
01
Cleaning the amberjack
Clean the amberjack and fillet it, keeping the skin intact. Remove any remaining pin bones with tweezers.
02
Vacuum cooking in the steam oven
Place the amberjack fillets in a vacuum bag with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Cook at low temperature in a steam oven until the desired internal temperature is reached.
03
Roasted peaches
Thinly slice the peaches and arrange them on a baking tray in a circular shape. Season with salt, fresh thyme and extra virgin olive oil. Bake for a short time, given the thinness of the slices.
04
Raw diced peach
Cut the remaining peaches into small, even dice. Dress with extra virgin olive oil, fresh thyme and salt. Keep raw and set aside — this will be used as the final garnish.
05
Vermentino reduction
In a small saucepan, combine the Vermentino, fresh thyme, whole pink peppercorns and honey. Bring to the boil and reduce until syrupy. Strain to remove the thyme and peppercorns.
06
Searing the amberjack
Heat a pan with extra virgin olive oil. Place the fillets skin-side down and sear until the skin is crispy and golden. Flip the fillet and leave in the pan with the heat off to rest.
07
Plating
Arrange the roasted peaches across the base of a flat plate. Place the freshly seared amberjack on top. Scatter the dressed raw diced peach over the fish. Finish by pouring over the Vermentino reduction. Serve immediately.
👨🍳 Chef's tip
