Monkfish coated with Smoked Prawn Butter
What makes this a signature is undeniably the tender texture of the otherwise firm monk fish and the hard work that goes into preparing the dish. The flesh of monk fish, by its very nature, contains high levels of protein, resulting in a firm texture. This contrasts greatly to say, cod fish, with its soft, oily and flakey flesh. In order to tenderize the flesh, Chef Paul Ng utilizes a culinary technique known as sous vide.
French for “under the vacuum”, sous vide aims to maintain the integrity of ingredients by heating them for an extended period at relatively low temperatures (Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sous-vide)
Chef Paul, 32, cooks the fish (in a vacuum pack) in a water bath at exactly 55 degrees for 15 minutes to soften the fish texture, then fried at exactly 170 degree Celsius until golden brown. Remember earlier, I spoke about how sound his techniques are; what I have described above barely skims the top of the skills needed to finalize the dish.
Pairing the fish is a Riesling cream sauce that combines Riesling wine, fresh oysters and cream that complements the monk fish perfectly. The specially imported baby carrots (of the purple, yellow and orange varieties) add, not only colour to the dish, but the resulting dish is a joy to savour – tender fish, flavourful sauce and interesting concept and is testament of Chef Paul’s caliber and befitting of it being his signature dish.
Set up in 2009 by a 36 year old lady entrepreneur, Private Affairs is located in one of the most unlikely of locations – JooChiat. Serving Modern European cuisine with a touch of Asian flavours, the restaurant sits a maximum of 40 in the main dining room, therefore, reservations are most highly recommended. By the way, if you've been here before, do share your experience at Private Affairs here!
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