Our latest edition of ‘eat this now’ features Terroir chef Michael Broughton’s melt-in-your-mouth ceviche of yellowtail with kohlrabi, aioli and avocado.

The dish

Like summer on a plate, this starter dish of meltingly tender fish is complemented beautifully by delicate flavours of puréed avocado, zesty lime, and a subtle hit of ginger and chilli. The sushi rice element adds a familiar flavour that you’d find in your favourite California roll, only it’s taken to new heights with the flavours of Peru. Explains Michael, “I wanted to serve a ‘ceviche’ as part of the summer menu because it’s fresh and bright, and I love punchy Peruvian-flavoured plates like this.” Michael’s sous chef, Fran Zwiers, came up with the gorgeous plating design and after testing and tweaking, this version is the one that made the cut. It’s almost too pretty to eat. Almost.

The ceviche in all its glory. Photo by Nikita Buxton.

How it’s made

Fresh Yellowtail is trimmed and thinly sliced in 65g-70g portions and then neatly placed on a cold plate. The portions are then brushed with the ceviche sauce, which is peppery and acidic – this is what ‘cooks’ the fish. The emulsifying agent in the ceviche sauce is a red pepper, garlic and chilli paste blitzed with olive oil that naturally thickens the sauce.

The fish is then garnished with a spoonful of cooked sushi rice that has been jewelled with soy caviar. A yoghurt-and-aioli emulsion and puréed avocado dot the plate, accompanied by lime, cooling sour cucumber, ginger and ribbons of kohlrabi. Finally, fresh baby green salad leaves are sprinkled on top to add even more freshness.

The price

R99 will get you this exquisite starter dish. It’s a beautiful way to start the meal.

Interior of Terroir restaurant. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

The restaurant

Terroir was named one the top ten restaurants in the 2014 Eat Out Mercedes-Benz Restaurant Awards and is nominated again this year. The charming fine-dining eatery is located on the tranquil Kleine Zalze Estate and offers diners a foodie escape from the city. Chef Michael Broughton’s food is creative yet classic. Each dish is beautifully layered with flavourful, seasonal produce to create a memorable dining experience.