KOB IN SUMMER

[Originally published in the March 2020 issue of SKI-BOAT magazine]

By Ryan Cole, Executive Chef at Salsify, Camps Bay

INGREDIENTS
2 small kob
1kg new potatoes
1 bulb fennel
Fennel seeds
2 pieces of leek
30g Italian parsley
1 red onion
Lemon — peeled and juiced
100ml olive oil
100ml canola oil
10g fresh thyme
2 tbs honey
1kg exotic tomato mix
250g crème fraiche
1 bunch spring onion
1 lime
30ml sherry vinegar
10ml spirit vinegar
1 tsp caramel sugar
Black pepper
White pepper
Coarse sea salt
Fine salt

METHOD
Kob
• Scale and fillet the kob as shown, then score deep lines into the skin.
• Season with sea salt, black pepper and 30ml olive oil.
• Dice some tomatoes into large chunks. Slice the red onion.
• Slice fennel into half and then into quarters. Proceed to do the same with the leeks.
• Place a piece of tinfoil on a roasting tray and cover with wax paper. Make a bed of your sliced red onion, tomato chunks, fennel and leeks.
• Place the kob on top of the vegetables and bake in the oven on grill for 12 minutes.
Tomato salad
• In a bowl use a fork to mix together 30ml sherry vinegar, 2 sprigs fresh thyme (picked leaves), 3g sea salt, black pepper, 100ml olive oil and honey. Mix until emulsified.
• Slice all the tomatoes into different sizes and shapes. Season with tomato dressing. Allow to sit for 15 minutes before serving.

Fennel dressing
Juice of one lime, 10ml spirit vinegar, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp caramel sugar, toasted fennel seeds, 20ml water, 100ml canola oil, tops of 1 fennel picked and chopped. Mix.

Potato salad
• Cut baby potatoes in half and cook in salted boiling water for 15 minutes or until the potato falls off a fork when poked.
• Drain water off the potatoes and place in a colander and toss lightly in fennel dressing.

Lemon crème fraiche
Combine: 250g crème fraiche, zest and juice of one lemon, pinch white pepper, half teaspoon salt and 2 sprigs of parsley chopped. Serve in a bowl as a side.

For the spring onion
Wash and dress in canola oil and salt and char under the grill.
Serve all dishes together. Enjoy!