Whiting in vine leaves with eggplant salad and verjuice dressing

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Prick the eggplants all over with a fork. Place the eggplants directly on an oven rack, with a tray underneath the rack. Roast for 30-40 minutes, or until eggplants are soft, turning them once or twice. Alternatively, cook over a barbecue until blackened. Remove from oven and stand eggplants in colander to drain juices for 10 minutes.
2. Place the fennel seeds and salt flakes in a small, dry frying pan, place pan over a medium heat and toast until fragrant. Set aside until serving.
3. Cut the eggplants in half, spoon the flesh into a food processor, add the garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, parsley and chives and process until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. For the fish, wrap a vine leaf around the centre of each fish fillet. Brush fish and vine leaves with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and cook in a frying pan over medium heat or barbecue until browned on both sides and just cooked through.
5. For verjuice dressing, pour verjuice and olive in a small bowl and whisk until combined.
6. To serve, top a piece of toasted flat bread with a spoonful of eggplant dip and three fish fillets topped with a heaped teaspoon of yoghurt and a sprinkle of the toasted salt and fennel seed mixture. Drizzle with verjuice dressing and serve immediately.