Neil Perry's barbecued barramundi is simply too good

CHEF Neil Perry offers a great seafood dish in his latest book, Simply Good Food.

Barbecued barra is simply too good

NEVER write a book unless you have something to say. It's a truism lost on a lot of chefs; thankfully Neil Perry is not among them.

Simply Good Food is his eighth cookbook and it's another keeper, cheffy enough to be sexy but still straightforward enough for home cooks.

Tall poppy-loppers might gnash their teeth, but I'll say it anyway: the man has good instincts. It's not just that he can do Asian, Med or Mex - Mexican gets a good run in this book - with equal confidence, but that he's one of the few who makes the effort to mix and match, to drive your cookbook dollar further.

So a recipe for Mediterranean spatchcock is preceded by serving suggestions and lateral ideas for the marinade; crumbed veal steaks are lifted out of the predictable by a side of eggplant and tomato salad; a sweet and sour sauce for pork "is great poured over whole fried crisp fish".

And I love the emphasis on fresh fruit in the sweets section. A Perry cookbook tragic, me? Hey, when's number nine out?

BARBECUED BARRAMUNDI WITH ROAST CAPSICUM AND OLIVE SALSA

INGREDIENTS

4 x 200g barramundi fillets,skin on

sea salt and freshly ground pepper

extra virgin olive oil

1 lemon, cut into quarters

SALSA

3 yellow capsicums (peppers)

3 red capsicums (peppers)

80ml (2½ fl oz/1⁄3 cup) extra virgin olive oil, plus extra sea salt and freshly ground pepper

2 small red onions, finely diced

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

3 anchovy fillets, chopped

40g pitted kalamata or whole Ligurian olives

1 tablespoon salted capers, rinsed

2 tablespoons flat-leaf (Italian) parsley leaves, finely chopped

Splash of red wine vinegar

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF/Gas 4).

2. For the salsa, cut the capsicums in half and remove the seeds.

3. Toss with 2 tablespoons of the oil to coat and salt and pepper to taste.

4. Arrange the capsicums, cut side down, on two baking trays and roast

for 35-40 minutes or until the skins blister.

5. Transfer to a bowl and cover

with plastic wrap. When cool enough to handle, peel the capsicums and

cut into large dice.

6. Meanwhile, in a non-stick frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil

over low heat. Add the onion, garlic and a sprinkle of salt. Cook for

30-40 minutes or until the onion is meltingly tender. Add the anchovies,

olives and capers and toss them through the onion mix. Remove from

the heat. Add the parsley and capsicum, and drizzle with the extra olive

oil and the vinegar. Check seasoning and finish with a grind of pepper.

7. Set the salsa aside.

8. Preheat a barbecue grill to high. Season the fish fillets and brush

with a little extra oil. Grill the fish, skin side down, for 2 minutes, then

turn over and cook for a further 2 minutes or until done to your liking.

If the fillets are thick, this could take as long as 10 minutes. Serve the

fish with the salsa and lemon wedges.

Serves 4.

NOTE: It is important to place the capsicums in a bowl and cover with

plastic wrap. This keeps the cooking process going and softens them, adding

to the intensity of the flavour because they are steamed with their own heat.

Neil Perry

Simply Good Food

Murdoch Books, $49.99