Curried Chickpea Encrusted Barramundi with Jalapeno Lime Tartar Sauce

Thank you Australis Barramundi, The Sustainable Seabass™ for sponsoring this post.  All opinions are mine alone. #BarraMonday

Nut allergy?  No problem.  Roasted chickpeas make a great crispy, crunchy topping everyone can enjoy!

Going to be totally upfront about this.  I’m a little “funny” when it comes to fish.  I love to eat it, however, I’m always a little afraid of it.  I’m afraid that it’s going to be fishy and one mouthful of unpleasantness will haunt me for days.  My palate is very sensitive to some things and fishiness is one of them.  As a result, we tend to not have fish at home very often.  Cooking it properly is not something I’m afraid of.  However, because of the potential off-taste, it’s usually something I order at a restaurant so I can send it back.

With all my skepticism, it’s not often I get excited about fish–especially buying fish.  However, I recently learned about Australis Barramundi, The Sustainable Seabass™ and I’m excited about this fish!

Barramundi is native to Southeast Asia and northern Australia.  The smart people at Australis Aquaculture farm-raise this mild, moist buttery fish so it’s widely available.

Fish farms have developed a bad reputation and with good reason.  The farms are poorly-operated, have a negative impact on the environment because of the chemicals used and produce a protein with little or no nutritional value.  As you may recall from previous posts, I will not eat farm-raised imported shrimp; I will only eat wild American shrimp.

The folks at Australis Aquaculture are doing farm-raised seafood in an environmentally-responsible way.  They use Smart Aquaculture™ to ensure their fish is raised in the best conditions possible to produce a clean, healthful protein.  There are no traces of mercury, PCBs or other contaminants and no antibiotics, hormones or colorants.  They even lab test their fish to ensure purity.  The result is an extra lean protein with the highest Omega-3’s of any white fish but with half the calories of salmon.  And no fishiness!

You can read about Australis and the entire process at TheBetterFish.com.  It’s available at numerous retailers for around $10 for a 12-ounce bag.  I found it in the frozen seafood area at Whole Foods.  (Just be sure it’s Australis.)

Australis Barramundi, The Sustainable Seabass™ has opened up a whole new world of enjoying fish at home for us!  Because the fillets are individually wrapped, they thaw quickly when submerged in cold water so it opens up new possibilities for my clients, too.  YAY!

Here’s something else I’m excited about, my recipe for Curried Chickpea-Encrusted Barramundi with Jalapeno-Lime Tartar Sauce.  It’s a little Indian, a little Mexican with a whole lot of delicious!

As a personal chef, I must often find ingredient substitutes for people with food allergies so they can continue to enjoy the same flavors and textures as people without those allergies.  Nuts are one of the major food allergens that can cause a serious, life-threatening reaction.  Roasted chickpeas make a great crunchy coating substitute for nuts.

When roasted, chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans) become crunchy.  They are not as calorie-dense as nuts and can be seasoned in a variety of ways.  For ease, I use canned chickpeas.  (If you start with dried chickpeas, you’re looking at a lot more work to soak, cook and roast them.)

First, drain and rinse the canned chickpeas thoroughly, then pat dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels.  If you have the time, let them air dry for 30 minutes.  Place on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil.  (The olive oil helps the chickpeas get crispy.)  Shake the pan or stir every ten minutes.  After approximately 30 minutes, they should have a crispy exterior with an oh-so-slight soft interior.  (Don’t worry about that slightly soft interior–when chopped, placed on the fish and baked, it will all get delightfully crispy and crunchy!)  Let cool thoroughly and then place in a mini food processor.

Ta-daa!  An allergen-free crispy coating for fish and also chicken!

You know all those bad, slightly sweet commercial tartar sauces?  This…..is not those!  Instead of gherkin pickles typically used in tartar sauce, I use pickled jalapenos to give it a spicy kick.  The lime tanginess pairs perfectly with the curry in the chickpea crust.

Soooooo good and hope you enjoy barramundi as much as I did!!

Curried Chickpea Encrusted Barramundi with Jalapeno Lime Tartar Sauce

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Prep Time 1 hr

Cook Time 15 min

Total Time 1 hr 15 mins

Nut allergy? No problem. Roasted chickpeas make a great crispy, crunchy topping everyone can enjoy!

Ingredients

• INGREDIENTS
• FISH
• 1 can (15-ounce) chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil plus more for the baking sheet
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 teaspoons curry powder, hot or mild
• 1/4 cup panko
• Zest of 1 large lime
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 2 packages (12-ounces each) Australis Barramundi fillets, rinsed and patted dry
• 3-4 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• nonstick cooking spray
• TARTAR SAUCE
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 scallions, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large lime, juiced
• 1/3 cup pickled jalapeno peppers, chopped

Directions

1. INSTRUCTIONS
2. FISH
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pat the chickpeas as dry as possible with a clean dishtowel or paper towel. (If possible, leave them to air dry for 30 minutes.)
4. Place chickpeas on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and stir to coat. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
5. Roast for approximately 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. The chickpeas are done when they are golden, dry and crispy with a slightly soft center. Let cool thoroughly.
6. Place chickpeas in a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground, scraping the sides and stirring with a spatula if necessary. Transfer to a bowl.
7. Add curry powder, panko, lime zest and cilantro and stir to combine. Adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper if needed.
8. Brush a nonstick baking sheet with olive oil. Place Barramundi fillets on the baking sheet and brush the top of the fish with mustard. (If your barramundi fillets are thin on one side, fold it underneath to create a more uniform thickness.) Top the fish with equal amounts of the chickpea topping, pressing slightly to adhere. Spray lightly with cooking spray.
9. Bake for 13-15 minutes at 400 degrees or until cooked through and fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve with tartar sauce.
10. TARTAR SAUCE
11. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Serve with fish.

by Carol | From A Chef's Kitchen

Recipe Notes

The shapes and sizes of Australis barramundi vary by package. Two packages will yield six servings for light appetites or four servings for a heavier appetite.

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