Marc Soper is Executive Chef at Wharekauhau Country Estate in Featherston. He was awarded the Best Dish New Zealand winner at both the 2016 and 2017 Ōra King Awards.
Marc explains how he incorporated his love for foraging and a ‘Head to Tail’ approach in his 2017 winning entry.
Japanese Inspired Ōra King Salmon Served with Bone Broth
The hero of Marc’s dish is a nori-wrapped Ōra King salmon loin, baked and served straight from the oven.
The seasoning is made with foraged kelp which is hand harvested along the south Wairarapa coastline along with kerengo, ground nori, sesame seeds and wild fennel pollen – which adds a salty liquorice flavour.
Marc includes his own interpretation of bonito using the Ōra King salmon tail which has been cured and smoked over fresh manuka. The seasoning is finished with a cured duck egg that has been dehydrated and then frozen to preserve the creaminess of the egg, before being micro planed on top of the salmon.
The loin is accompanied by miso sake-cured Ōra King salmon belly. The belly is sliced and served at room temperature with crispy salmon skin, tree fungi crisps and a horseradish potato wafer which is finished with fresh wasabi root soil made from fresh ground wasabi root.
The dish is complemented by a wasabi pea puree, fresh herbs, Ōra King salmon caviar, lightly pickled sushi rice, and a soy ginger tofu sponge that is created with a mushroom stock and pickled ginger liquid.
To complete the dish, Marc creates a smoked Ōra King salmon bone broth by infusing the salmon bones over two days along with a series of ingredients including kelp, chilli, garlic, wild fennel root, kawakawa leaves, manuka honey and calamondin fruits. The broth is heated and served table side in front of the guest.
Learn more about Marc Soper & Wharekauhau Country Estate
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