Fast Ed Halmagyi serves up kingfish tartare with spicy almond aioli and radishes

RAW food has grown in popularity in recent years. Fast Ed shows how you can serve up a feast at home of Kingfish tartare with spicy almond aioli and radishes.

Kingfish tartare in on the menu.

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• Fast Ed chews the fat on meat
• Fast Ed’s tasty matzo ball soup

I’M still astonished by the cultural power of sushi in Australia.

In just two decades the idea of eating raw fish has transformed itself from culinary outlier to the kind of mainstream entity that is found in every mall and shopping strip across the country.

We didn’t just discover sushi, we learned to love it, and embraced it as part of our gastronomical family.

But alongside the deliciousness of this elegant Japanese cuisine lie the oft-repeated claims that raw fish is a healthier way of eating. Indeed, that statement is made about most foods, especially by the fringe foodophiles.

There’s a lot of research into this question, much of it conducted by the USDA.

The results? Well, they’re kind of mixed.

Ed Halmagyi says eating should be all about balance. Picture: Annika Enderborg

Some nutritional components are diminished or destroyed by heat, while others are made more digestible. But the governing rule remains — for the most part your body will only metabolise what it needs while the rest is discarded.

Vitamins like A, C, riboflavin and niacin are negatively-affected by cooking, and are much better when consumed in raw foods. On the plus side, Vitamin B12 (essential for a range of things including proper DNA replication) is made vastly more digestible by the application of heat. It becomes almost three times more potent.

Minerals are not significantly affected, with the noticeable exception of magnesium which is rendered inert by heat.

Cooking (when done oil-free) also reduces the kilojoules in food, as some of the naturally-occurring oils seep out. But the biggest benefit of cooking is the way it transforms protein. Many proteins, especially those found in animal meats, are made significantly more bio-available by having been cooked. Depending on the food source being cooked, you can get up to 30 per cent more benefit from the same piece of meat or fish.

My conclusion? It’s all a matter of balance. Eat some raw, eat some cooked, and try to remember the most important rule of all. Never wipe your eyes after handling wasabi!

Kingfish tartare with spicy almond aioli and radishes

INGREDIENTS: SERVES 4

1. 400g kingfish fillet

2. 4 cloves garlic, peeled

3. 2 Tbsp whole blanched almonds, toasted

4. ½ tsp ground cumin

5. ½ tsp smoked paprika

6. finely grated zest and juice of 2 limes

7. 2 egg yolks

8. 1 tsp Dijon mustard

9. 1 cup vegetable oil

10. sea salt flakes and freshly-milled black pepper

11. 4 radishes, finely sliced

12. 1 cup baby leaves

13. black sesame seeds, baby basil leaves and herb oil, to serve

METHOD

1. Use a sharp knife to split the kingfish fillet down the centre, then remove the blood line. Set aside.

2. Combine the garlic, almonds, spices and zest in a mortar and pound until smooth. Stir in the juice, yolks and mustard, then transfer to a bowl. Whisk in the vegetable oil in a steady stream, then season with salt and pepper.

3. Slice the kingfish finely. Spread the aioli on plates, then top with the kingfish slices, radish slices, baby leaves, seeds and basil. Drizzle with herb oil.