Grilled Marinated Marlin & Tartar with Fennel, Orange, and Olive

Chef Peter Botcher has been with Barbette since the first of the year, coming from Levain & Vincent – A Restaurant. Barbette features local and organic ingredients and presents beautiful food in a casual, eclectic bistro atmosphere. Serving brunch, lunch, dinner, and late nights, seven days a week.

• 7 Sushi grade Marlin steaks (6 ounces each)
• 5 fennel bulbs
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon fennel powder
• 2 cups fresh orange juice
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 jar nicoise olives in brine
• 4 to 5 thyme sprigs
• 1/2 bunch flat Italian parsley
• 1 cup olive oil
• juice from 3 lemons
• 2 shallots, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes

Method:
Dice 1 of the marlin steaks into 1/4 inch pieces. Marinate the remaining marlin steaks in orange juice, brine from the olives, and thyme sprigs for 24 hours in the refrigerator.

Chop 4 of the fennel bulbs and combine with the fennel powder and heavy cream in a pan over medium-low heat. Simmer until soft and remove from heat. Allow to cool slightly and puree in a blender. Combine the orange juice and sugar in a pan over medium heat. Reduce mixture until syrupy. Add 1 cup of chopped nicoise olives, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/2 parsley, shallots, and lemon juice with a pinch of chile flakes.

Chop 1 shallot and 1/2 of the parsley. Combine the diced marinated marlin, shallot, parsley, 1/4 cup olive oil, and lemon juice in a bowl and set aside.

Grill the marlin on both sides just to rare. Thinly slice the last fennel bulb and mix with lemon juice, parsley, and olive oil. Spoon some of the fennel puree slightly off-center of the plate. Slice the grilled marlin and place on top of the fennel puree. Arrange the fennel salad on next to the grilled marlin. Spoon a serving of the marinated marlin on the other side of the fennel salad and spoon the black olive sauce around the raw marlin.

Serves 6