Scalefish Recipes H-Z

​Michael's Fish Carpaccio

About 600 grams yellowtail kingfish fillets (also good with striped trumpeter and morwong), 1/4 cup sea salt, juice and zest of 3 oranges, one teaspoon of fennel seeds, 1 star anise, a handful fresh herbs like thyme, fennel.

Clean any bones and blood line out. Place fish skin down in a suitable dish like a baking tray.

Sprinkle about half the salt over the fish. Pound the fennel seeds and star anise together in a pestle and mortar and spread over the fish. Juice and grate the oranges, spread the juice and zest mixture over the fish including around the sides. Sprinkle over the remainder of the salt

Place fresh herbs on top. Cover with cling wrap over the tray, not touching the fish. Place in fridge for 24 hours. Remove from fridge, scrape off the curing mixture, pat dry, slice very thin, and serve with a few drops of olive oil and some lemon juice. Keeps for several days in the fridge.

Leatherjacket

Characteristics: Low oil content. Delicate, sweet flavour. Fine, moist flesh. Fillets, whole.
Cooking Method: Skin before cooking. Bake, barbecue, grill, poach, shallow fry.

Baked Greek Leatherjacket

2-4 leatherjackets; olive oil; 1 red onion; diced; 2 cloves garlic, crushed; ¼ cup kalamata olives, pitted and diced; 1 tbsp capers; ¼ cup red wine; 2 cups of diced tomatoes; salt and black pepper to taste; parsley.

Prepare leatherjacket by removing the head and guts and trimming fins.  Remove skin by making a knick with a knife between the flesh and skin.  Peel skin off.  Place about 2 table spoons of olive oil in a baking pan in the oven and set at 180ºC.  On a cook top, add oil to saucepan, briefly sauté onion then add garlic, olives and capers.  Add wine, bring to boil then simmer to reduce the liquid to about half. Add tomatoes and simmer for about 5 minutes until the sauce is thick.  Place fish in the baking pan.  Pour the sauce over the fish. Bake until the flesh can be parted easily with a knife or fork (15-30 minutes depending on fish type and size).  Sprinkle pepper, salt and serve with parsley.  Serve with rice, small baked potatoes or couscous. 

Mackerel

Characteristics: High oil content. Medium flavour. Dark flesh which becomes lighter when cooked. Firm texture. Fillets, smoked, whole.
Cooking Method: Barbecue, casserole, foil bake, grill, marinate, smoke, souse.

Sven's Smoked Mackerel Pate

400g smoked mackerel, 200g cream cheese, juice and zest of 3 lemons, small handful of parsley, salt and black pepper to taste.

In a food processor whizz the mackerel fillets, the lemon juice and zest, cream cheese and parsley. Taste and season with salt and pepper, then scrape into a serving bowl.

Sprinkle with extra parsley or lemon zest. Great served with sourdough toast or crackers.

 

Paprika Mackerel

4 mackerel; 2 tbsp tomato paste; salt and pepper; 2 tsp paprika; 1/3 cup spring onions, chopped; juice of ½ lemon; 1 cup sour cream, parsley.

Spread each fish with tomato paste.  Place into a greased ovenproof dish.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper and half the paprika.  Mix spring onions and lemon juice into the sour cream.  Spoon over the fish, cover and bake in a moderate 180°C oven for 25 minutes or until fish is cooked.  Sprinkle with remainder of paprika and garnish with parsley.

Mullet

Characteristics: High oil content. Distinctive flavour. Fairly oily but excellent firm-textured flesh. Whole.

Yelloweye Mullet a la Damian

Scale, head, gut and then fillet the mullet.  Remove the black lining of the stomach otherwise it can be bitter.  With smaller mullet, cut this lining out with the rib cage.  You may like to skin the mullet as well using a sharp knife.

To cook, pan fry the fillets in butter just as they are, or alternatively coat them with beaten egg and then with plain flour and pan fry in olive oil.  The fillets are not thick so do not overcook-around 30 seconds on each side in a hot pan.  If the fillets start to break up, they are well cooked.  They taste great warm, or pop in the fridge and eat at your leisure as they are also good cold.

Atlantic Salmon

Characteristics: High oil content. Rich delicate flavour. The deep pink flesh lightens during cooking and flakes easily. Should never be overcooked. Fillets, smoked, steaks, whole.
Cooking Method: Bake, grill, shallow fry, poach, smoke, steam.

Crispy-skinned Atlantic Salmon

4 x 200g Atlantic salmon fillets; 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper; lemon wedges and aioli.

Scrape the salmon skin with a sharp knife to remove excess moisture, and then score some fine parallel lines into it.  This allows the heat to get in and the fish to cook more evenly.  Rub with half the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Place the fish skin side down on a moderate hot plate and cook for 6 minutes, until the fish skin is crispy.  Don't move the fish when it's cooking skin side down, as keeping contact with the heat is the key gives the crispiest skin.  Turn over, and cook for 1 minute more.  Serve with lemon wedges and aioli.

Australian Salmon

Rod’s Fish Patties

Australian salmon gutted and headed or fillets; 2 potatoes, peeled and cubed; 1 onion, diced, ½ tbsp vegetable or chicken stock powder (optional); 3 cups of vegetable or chicken stock (if boiling fish), ½ cup of peas or beans; 1 carrot, finely diced; 1-2 cloves of garlic, crushed; 1 egg; 1 tbsp parsley; I tbsp chives, pepper and salt to taste; 1 cup plain flour; cooking oil.  For a more Asian style replace the stock powder with 1 tbsp ginger grated; 1 tbsp fresh coriander; 1 tbsp soy or fish sauce.

Boil potatoes until just cooked but still firm.  Mash the potatoes and keep dry (do not use milk or butter). Pan fry the onion, chives, carrots, peas or beans, garlic.  Cook the fish by boiling in stock, baking, microwaving, grilling or pan frying (fillets) so the flesh is just flaky. Peel and flake the fish flesh from the bones.
Combine the mashed potato with the fish and other remaining cooked ingredients. Add the egg ensuring the fish breaks apart while mixing.  If time permits refrigerate for a few hours to firm up mixture.  Spoon out mixture and roll in your hand to form patties about 2 cm thick. Roll each pattie in the flour, freeze or refrigerate for later use or shallow fry straight away at medium heat or BBQ.  Serve with sweet chilli, tartare sauce, lime or lemon wedges.

Shark

Characteristics: Low oil content. Delicate flavour. Medium textured firm flesh. Fillets.
Cooking Method: Bake, casserole, deep fry, foil bake, marinate, poach, shallow fry, soup, steam, steep.

Sesame Baked Flake (Gummy Shark)

1 kg flake fillets; salt and pepper; ½ cup melted butter; 2 cups soft breadcrumbs; ¼ cup toasted sesame seeds.

Place fish in shallow greased baking dish.  Sprinkle with salt.  Combine breadcrumbs, sesame seeds, butter and season to taste.  Spoon over fish.  Bake in moderate oven at 180°C for about 20 minutes.

Blue-eye Trevalla

Crusted Baked Blue-eye Trevalla

1 blue-eye trevalla fillet; ½ cup of fresh breadcrumbs; parsley, chopped; lemon rind, finely chopped; olive oil; sea salt and black pepper.

Mix the breadcrumbs, lemon rind, and salt and pepper together. Add a splash of olive oil and mix into the other ingredients with your fingers.  Put the trevalla in an ovenproof dish and press the breadcrumb mixture over the top of it.  Cook for about 20 minutes in an oven preheated to 200°C.

Trout

Characteristics
Medium oil content. Delicate flavour. Fine textured flesh. Do not overcook. Fillets, smoked, whole plate size.
Cooking Method
Bake, barbecue, grill, poach, smoke, shallow fry, steam.

Baked Stuffed Trout

4 trout, cleaned, with heads on; 60g mushrooms, sliced; 1 small onion, chopped; 2 tbsp parsley, chopped; 2 tbsp butter; salt and pepper to taste; ½ cup soft white breadcrumbs.

Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a pan and saute mushrooms, onion and parsley until golden brown.  Add to the breadcrumbs and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Fill the cavity of the trout, secure with a toothpick and place into a greased baking dish.  Brush with remainder of butter and place in a moderate oven 200°C for 20-25 minutes.  Serve immediately with garnish of parsley and lemon wedges.  Also excellent wrapped in foil and cooked on the barbeque.

 

Bastard Trumpeter

Japanese Barbecued Trumpeter with Ginger

2 small trumpeter, whole with head on; salt; lemon juice or soy sauce; grated fresh ginger.

Rub fish inside and out with salt and allow to stand for 30 minutes.  Thread barbecue skewers through each fish from mouth to tail, baste with lemon juice or soy sauce and barbecue or grill for about 7 minutes on each side until cooked.  Serve with lemon juice or soy sauce and grated ginger.

Striped Trumpeter

Characteristics: High oil content. Excellent flavour. Fine textured, moist flesh. The dark flesh becomes lighter when cooked. Does not keep well. Fillets, whole.
Cooking Method: Bake, barbecue, casseroles, grill, foil bake, smoke, shallow fry.

Pan Seared Striped Trumpeter

4x 200g pieces of striped trumpeter.

Pre-heat oven to 200.  Season trumpeter with sea salt & cracked pepper.  Heat pan, drizzled with virgin olive oil.  When hot, seal fish on all sides, place on oven tray ready to bake.  Bake for around 10-12 minutes until fish is firm.

Tuna

Characteristics
High oil content. Distinctive flavour. Firm, dark flesh which lightens when cooked. Fillets, steaks.
Cooking Method
Bake, barbecue, casserole, foil bake, marinate, sashimi.

Pan Seared or Barbeque Albacore Steaks

Dry each steak on paper towel. Coat both sides of the steaks with salt, lemon pepper or other seasoning.

Pan Sear: Lightly oil a heavy pan and preheat the pan to hot.  Place the steaks in the pan and sear for about 30 seconds on each side.  Then, reduce the heat to medium.  Cook for a few minutes on each side.  The middle of the albacore should still be pink when it is done.

Barbecue: Heat the barbecue until very hot.  Place steaks on the oiled grill and brown each side. Reduce the heat or move the steaks to the coolest area of the barbecue and cook for a few minutes on both sides until the fish is just pink inside. 

Tuna and Pea Pasta Bake

450g tuna, cooked and flaked; 400g pasta; 40 g butter; 2 tbsp flour; 2 cups milk; 1 ½ cups frozen peas; 1 ¼ cups grated cheddar cheese; ½ cup grated parmesan.

Cook the pasta in salted water, drain and set aside.  Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat, add flour and stir until mixture thickens.  Gradually stir in milk until sauce becomes thick, and then add cheese and peas.  Combine sauce with cooked pasta and tuna and put into a shallow ovenproof dish.  Sprinkle with extra cheese.  Bake at 180˚C oven for about 20-30 minutes or until brown on top.

Foil Baked Tuna

4 tuna steaks approx 2 cm thick; 1 tbsp butter; 1 small red capsicum, chopped; 3 spring onions, finely chopped; 1 cup wholemeal breadcrumbs; 1 tbsp capers, chopped; 1 cup sour cream; 1 tbsp lemon juice; lemon pepper; salt.

Place each tuna steak on a piece of foil.  Melt butter then saute capsicum and spring onions until soft.  Add breadcrumbs, capers, cream and juice.  Season to taste.  Cover each tuna steak with equal amounts of vegetable mixture.  Seal foil and place all parcels on a tray.  Bake at 200°C for 15 mins.

Fish illustrations by Peter Gouldthorpe