Courtesy Martin Hoellrigl, Capitola Garden Feast
Classically trained Austria-born chef Martin Hoellrigl has lived in California long enough that growing and eating vegetables fresh from his garden has become a way of life. His grilling technique helps make sure softer fish, like branzino and rockfish, don’t fall apart when cooking. His fine dining trick for braising vegetables and mushrooms in olive oil makes them irresistible.
Freshly caught whole branzino or rockfish (or 2 pounds fish fillets)
½ cup olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 lemon, cut in half crosswise
Herbs (thyme, rosemary, parsley or any herb you like)
Salt
Pepper
Fillet the fish or have your fishmonger do it. Make sure all the bones are plucked or pull them out with tweezers. Season fillets with salt, pepper and herbs, then marinate in olive oil and lemon juice for at least two hours or overnight—to help fillets firm up.
Preheat oven to 200° F and turn grill on high until it reaches its maximum temperature. Place fish fillets on the grill and immediately turn grill off, allowing fish to cook on one side only. Allow fish to cool without moving. At the same time the fish is cooking, place lemon halves face down on the grill, because the juice of a grilled lemon tastes better.
Place fish fillets in an ovenproof dish with grill marks facing up and set aside.
FOR THE VEGETABLE CONFIT
Cauliflower shoots
Broccolini
Baby kale leaves
Black trumpet mushrooms
Lion’s mane mushrooms
Oyster mushrooms
Truffle (optional)
Lemon juice
3 cups olive oil
1 tablespoon salt
Pepper
To prepare the vegetables, slice or break into uniform-sized pieces. Add salt to olive oil and heat in a pot on the stovetop until about 160° F. Add vegetables and mushrooms to the salted oil and place in preheated oven at 200° F for about 20 minutes, to slowly braise, not fry.
When vegetables are soft, remove from oil and drain on paper towels. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice, flaky sea salt, cracked black pepper and, if desired, slivers of truffle marinated in a little cooking oil.
Oil can be saved and used over and over again to cook more vegetables, gaining additional flavor each time it is used.
Just before serving, put fish in oven for a few minutes to heat through and finish cooking. Serve surrounded by vegetables and grilled lemon halves. Garnish with edible flowers. Serves 4.
About the author
Martin Hoellrigl is an Austria-born chef, sommelier, hotelier and gardener, who currently lives in Capitola and runs Capitola Garden Feast—a catering and special events company. Martin and his team offer fun DIY dinners with personal instruction for groups of eight of more. “Our events bring teams and families closer together, because cooking connects our hearts,” he says.
