Fennel & Rooibos Smoked Line Fish

INGREDIENTS
- 2 by 200g line fish portions (scaled, deboned, portioned & trimmed)
- Lightly season with salt & white pepper
- 100g fennel seeds
- 4 rooibos tea bags
- 3 TBLS brown sugar
- Heavy duty foil
METHOD
- Season fish on both sides. Cook & spray a steam tray and place the seasoned fish on the tray.
- In a separate tray, cover the entire inside with foil with the shiny side facing up.
- Tear tea bags and mix tea, fennel and sugar. Disperse evenly across the foil, put over medium heat until sugar burns and smoke starts.
- Place the steam tray with fish over the inside or on top of the other tray.
- Enclose with a lid or foil, trapping all the smoke inside. Allow to smoke for 10 minutes on the heat, then take off the heat (with fish still covered).
- After 10 minutes off the heat, remove the foil or lid and allow the fish to cool to room temperature.
- Remove the foil from the bottom tray and take burned fennel & rooibos mixture, allowing to dry. Then in a pestle & mortar or coffee grinder, grind to a fine texture.
- Season the fish with ground fennel & rooibos ash.
- In a 180°C oven, put fish in for a further 10 minutes.
- Serve with sides of your choice and enjoy!!
Serving tip: Something with a high acid content like a pickle or citrus will compliment and balance the fish perfectly.