Fresh fish - simple and shared
For New Zealand chef, author and restaurateur Al Brown, recipes are like culinary love letters – they are meant to be shared.
At the 2025 Narooma Betta Home Living Cooking Demonstrations, he brought that same spirit of generosity to the stage, alongside host Courtney Roulston, and celebrated the beauty of fresh, well-sourced produce shared in good company.
His dishes – Sashimi with his own Ginger Ninja sauce with Kewpie and Wasabi Peas, and Kingfish with Oyster Cream, Apple & Lemon Oil – were a masterclass in balance, flavour and restraint.
Sashimi with Ginger Ninga, Kewpie and Wasabi Peas
Serves 6
Ingredients
600gms super fresh sashimi quality fish
1 sml bottle Kewpie Japanese Mayo (yellow top preferred)
1 sml bottle Al’s Ginga Ninga Sauce
1/3 cup Wasabi Peas, roughly crushed
1 bunch micro or fresh Basil, finely chopped
Method
- Slice the fish as thinly as you like with a sharp knife. Arrange on a platter.
- Add a drop of mayo on each piece.
- Drizzle a little of the Ginga Ninga, then scatter the crushed wasabi peas
- Finish with finely chopped basil.
Kingfish with Oyster Cream, Apple & Lemon Oil
Serves 6
Ingredients
500g Kingfish fillet
1 Granny Smith Apple, cut into matchsticks
1 doz Fresh Rock Oysters with their liquor
¼ cup canola oil
1 cup shallots ( thinly sliced)
½ cup sweet sherry
2 cups cooking cream
1 bunch chervil leaves (or similar)
2 tbs fennel Seeds (roasted and ground)
Dash apple syrup
Dash lemon Infused olive oil
Pinch sea salt and fresh black pepper
To serve: 1 lemon for squeezing, sea salt and fresh black pepper
Method: Oyster Cream
- Place a small saucepan on medium low heat. Add canola oil along with sliced shallots. Sweat for 10 minutes without colouring. Add sherry & reduce until almost evaporated. Add Rock Oyster liquor with two cups of cream.
- Reduce slowly on a gentle simmer for another 10 minutes or so. Remove saucepan from the heat, add oysters & allow them to plump up.
- Transfer to a blender & blitz until velvety smooth. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl & season with sea salt & fresh black pepper. Refrigerate until required.
To plate
- Cut kingfish into small cubes, around 8 pieces per serve.
Place blobs of the oyster cream on the plate, top with kingfish, a couple of apple match sticks & a leaf or two of chervil. - Finish by sprinkling a little ground fennel, a drizzle of lemon oil, & a few drops of the apple syrup.
- Add a squeeze of lemon juice, season with salt and pepper & serve.
Proudly supported by Julian, Liz and the team at Narooma Better Home Living
It’s always a full house in the Narooma Betta Home Living Cooking Demonstrations with Courtney Roulston at Narooma Oyster Festival.
Local and visiting chefs, backed by a team of generous volunteers, bring the flavours of the South Coast to life, showcasing oysters, seafood, and seasonal produce through their favourite and bespoke recipes – complete with hot tips, kitchen tricks, and lots of tastings and giveaways.
It’s all included in Saturday General Admission Ticket, with dates for our 19th festival set for May 1-3, 2026.
