Recipe Series... David Franz Kingfish Gravlax

 
 
 
 

Capturing the core spirit of the Barossa, David Franz Cellar Door pairs high-quality wine with extraordinary views and delicious food. Housed in a restored 1860s cottage, David Franz Cellar Door offers the opportunity to taste a range of carefully considered wines, build your own charcuterie board and appreciate the beautiful Barossa overlooking thirty two hectares of vines.

David shares his delicious recipe for Kingfish Gravlax, perfectly accompanied with pickled fennel, pickled beetroot and olive fig and lime tapenade 

Photos by Connor Patterson.

 
 
 

DISCOVER THE RECIPE

Kingfish Gravlax

BY DAVID FRANZ

 
 
 

KINGFISH GRAVLAX

*note: recipe per/kg of kingfish*

whole pieces of fresh kingfish with bloodline removed

1 medium-large beetroot, coarsely grated

60g soft brown or raw fine cane sugar

60g fine Himalayan pink salt

60g Seppeltsfield Road Distillery ‘Savoury Gin’

1 bunch fresh dill

 

KINGFISH GRAVLAX

1. Mix salt and sugar together making sure they are evenly homogenised. 

2. Place the kingfish fillets and salt + sugar mixture in a vac-seal bag that is large enough to lay the fish flat without being crowded.

3. Grate the beetroot and place in a bowl.

4. Chop fresh dill. Add the dill and grated beetroot to the kingfish fillets and toss all ingredients to homogenise fully.

5. Add the Seppeltsfield Road Distillery ‘Savoury Gin’, vac-seal gently and place into a dish or tray that allows it to sit flat.

6. Place in fridge. Cure the kingfish for 3 days, turning every day.   

7. Remove from vac-bag. Using a paper towel, wipe off ingredients from the fish and pat dry.

8. Tightly wrap with cling wrap or vac-seal the clean fillets. Freeze until firm but not frozen. 

9. Slice into desired thickness across the grain of the fish. Garnish with fresh dill fronds. 


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

MORE RECIPES…

Dave’s Pickle Base, Pickled Beetroot, Pickled Fennel and Olive Fig and Lime Tapenade

BY DAVID FRANZ

 

DAVE’S PICKLE BASE

*makes approx. 750ml*

15g salt

75g sugar

250g vinegar

500g water

1. Put water and vinegar into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer.

2. Add salt and sugar and stir until dissolved

*note: always pour the pickling liquid over your pickles while it is at boiling point*

 

PICKLED FENNEL

1 large jar (approx. 1ltr) with a sealable screw lid

1 serve of Dave’s Pickle Base (boiling)

1 large fennel bulb sliced into W 5mm x L 30mm strips

1 heaped teaspoon white peppercorns

1 heaped teaspoon fennel seed

1 heaped teaspoon aniseed (anise)


1. Wash the fennel bulb. Retain any fronds and put aside.

2. Slice the fennel into small strips, place into a large mixing bowl

3. Roughly chop the retained fronds and sprinkle over the fennel pieces

4. Add the white peppercorns, fennel seed and aniseed into the mixing bowl and toss to evenly distribute.

5. Add the fennel mixture into the jar without packing it in too tightly. Pour Dave’s Pickle Base into the jar until fennel is slightly covered.

6. Gently shake the jar from side to side to dislodge any air pockets and allow them to come to the surface (warning: jar will be hot).

7. Once air pockets are dislodged, fill the rest of the jar with Dave’s Pickle Base. Screw the lid on tightly and turn the jar upside down. Leave for 10mins.

8. Turn the jar back upright and allow to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, store the pickles in the fridge.

9. Consume after 24 hours

 
 

PICKLED BEETROOT

2-3 beetroots diced into small cubes

1 large jar (approx. 1ltr) with a sealable screw lid

1 serve of Dave’s Pickle Base (boiling)

1 star anise

1 x 2cm piece of cinnamon

5 juniper berries

1 heaped teaspoon fennel seed

1 heaped teaspoon aniseed (anise)

1. Add diced beetroot into a large mixing bowl

2. Sprinkle fennel seed and aniseed over the beetroot pieces. Toss to evenly distribute.

3. Place the star anise and cinnamon into the bottom of the jar. Add the beetroot mixture into the jar without packing it in too tightly. Pour Dave’s Pickle Base into the jar until beetroot is slightly covered.

4. Gently shake the jar from side to side to dislodge any air pockets and allow them to come to the surface (warning: jar will be hot).

5. Once air pockets are dislodged, fill the rest of the jar with Dave’s Pickle Base. Screw the lid on tightly and turn the jar upside down. Leave for 10 mins.

6. Turn the jar back upright and allow to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, store the pickles in the fridge.

7. Consume after 24 hours

OLIVE, FIG AND LIME TAPENADE

3 fresh kaffir lime leaves with the centre stem removed, finely chopped

2 limes (zested and juiced)

300g chilli and garlic green olives

150g black kalamata pitted olives

200g dried figs - soaked in boiling water and drained

60ml extra virgin olive oil

50ml spiced sweetened vinegar

1. Add all ingredients to a food processor and blend until warm and smooth.

2. Taste. Adjust sweetness with more spiced sweetened vinegar if needed. If flavour is too heavy, add more olive oil.

 
 
 
 
 

FEATURING

Handmade tableware from jam by JamFactory:

Sage Servingware, designed by Ashlee Hopkins for jam:
Long Oval Plate, $165; Short Oval Plate, $60; Small Footed Bowl $45
Squash Cheese Knife Set, designed by JamFactory for jam, $265 
Parsa Vase, designed by Golshad Asami for jam, $175

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
LIFESTYLEBridget BrazelLocal Series, Recipe, Barossa, jam, David Franz