9

W

hen the opportunity arose to

open a venue in Perth, it didn’t

take long to agree. I have loved

travelling to Western Australia over

the years, being lucky enough to travel for both

business and pleasure. Both the produce and the

people are amazing. I’m always blown away by

Western Australian hospitality.

We also fell in love with the building. It’s the

old Hibernian Hall in Perth’s East End, and it has

so much character. The design was intended to

maintain as much of this character as possible, keeping

the original structure intact and highlighting its history.

We wanted to do something more specific than just Italian,

and we felt the Roman concept worked well with the

history of the building.

We named it Garum after the Roman fish sauce, which is

made using a traditional fermentation method of salting and

then fermenting fish in small jugs or clay vessels, which were

commonly used throughout ancient Rome.

I love Roman cooking; to me it’s hearty, simple and humble.

I love using ingredients in ways that are uncomplicated, and

modern Roman classics are some of my all-time

favourite – where would we be without carbonara?

The menu at Garum, and the dishes here,

delivered by my head chef Mario Di Natale, are

based on this; they focus on both the ancient

Roman techniques and modern classics that we

like to serve in a relaxed environment. Octopus,

for instance, is one of my favourite things to

cook. It’s more versatile than people think: char

it simply, marinate it and serve it cold, or toss it

through pasta. This version is a take on the Gaeta

style; the flavours are punchy, but the octopus remains the hero.

We love hosting locals and travellers at Garum and we’re

excited to continue using Perth’s amazing produce and making

great friends over the time to come.

Garum is intended to be accessible to everyone. We want it

to be a place to enjoy a bowl of pasta and glass of wine at lunch,

or to come with family and friends for a celebration, share dishes

and settle in for the night. Whether your own occasion is casual

or celebratory, these dishes will serve equally well for both. Enjoy.

Garum, Hibernian Place, 480 Hay St, Perth, WA, (08) 6559 1870,

garum.com.au

50 ml olive oil

6 (about 170gm each) wild

barramundi fillets, bones

removed

BRAISED CAVOLO NERO

& CRAB

50 ml olive oil

1 garlic clove, chopped

150 gm cavolo nero, leaves

separated

2 celery stalks, cut into

julienne

1 long red chilli, thinly sliced

15 gm (3cm piece) ginger,

grated

1 cup (loosely packed)

coriander leaves

200 gm picked, cooked spanner

crab meat

Juice of ½ lemon

200 ml verjuice

100 gm unsalted butter, diced,

at room temperature

Wild barramundi, cavolo nero

and spanner crab

SERVES 6 // PREP TIME 20 MINS // COOK 15 MINS

“This dish is simple but full of flavour. It’s lovely and fragrant,”

says Guy Grossi. “I’ve used barramundi, but it will work

just as well with other kinds of white fish, too.”Pictured p138.

1 Preheat oven to 200°C.

For braised cavolo nero and

crab, heat olive oil in a large

frying pan over high heat,

sauté garlic (1 minute), then

add cavolo nero, celery, chilli,

ginger and coriander, and sauté

until leaves wilt (2-3 minutes).

Add crab, gently fold through,

then add lemon juice and

season to taste. Stir in verjuice

and butter, creating a sauce,

then remove from heat.

2 Meanwhile, heat olive oil

in a separate large non-stick,

ovenproof frying pan over

medium heat. Season fish

with sea salt and add to pan

skin-side down, pressing fillets

gently so the skin browns

evenly, until golden and crisp

(2-3 minutes). Turn fillets over,

then transfer pan to oven

until fish is just cooked through

(3-5 minutes). Remove from

oven and spoon oil from pan

over skin to help it crisp up.

3 Serve barramundi with

braised cavolo nero and crab,

drizzled with cooking juices.

Wine suggestionA dry white,

such as Mario Macciocca

“Civitella” Passerina del

Frusinate from Lazio.➤

Mario Di Natale (left)

and Guy Grossi.

140 GOURMET TRAVELLER