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SYDNEY SEAFOOD SCHOOL
N ovem B E R 2 0 1 0 – february 2 0 1 1
R O B E R TA’ S L E T T E R
Manfield (Universal), and Matthew Kemp
(Restaurant Balzac) also showcase recipes
from their fine diners and Ajoy Joshi from
Nilgiri’s is back with more delicious regional
Indian flavours. We know you love casual
entertaining in summer, so Lyndey Milan,
the queen of fast and fabulous food,
presents another of her popular Seafood
& Bubbles food and wine workshops and
Kathy Snowball gives you the wherewithal
to whip up a stress-free summer seafood
dinner party.
Twelve months after our $1-million refurb,
Sydney Seafood School is bigger and
better than ever – thanks to you. For
the past 12 months, we’ve been busy
monitoring your feedback and making
ongoing improvements, most recently
fine tuning the four 46" Sharp high
definition LCD television screens above the
demonstration bench to give a closer and
better picture of what’s happening (and to
celebrate we’re giving away a Sharp 2.1
Channel DVD Home Theatre system
this program, see page 4).
As Sydney’s passion for guest chefs hits
fever pitch, we’ve also introduced a wider
range of guest chef classes than ever
before, from 2-hour evening classes with
some of Sydney’s most promising young
chefs, such as Jonathan Barthelmess
from Manly Pavilion (2011 Good Food
Guide Best New Restaurant) to weekend
workshops with the likes of Mark Best from
Marque, winner of the Breakthrough Award
in the World’s 100 Best Restaurants list and
Other chefs featured on the program
include: Mark Jensen (Red Lantern),
Brent Savage (Bentley Restaurant and
Bar), Dietmar Sawyere (Berowra Waters
Inn), Giovanni Pilu (Pilu at Freshwater),
Dan Hong (Lotus), Alessandro Pavoni
(Ormeggio at the Spit, see chef profile
page 6), and Alex Kearns (Neutral Bay
Bar & Dining).
If you’re after some simpler seafood dishes
there are plenty of our regular Tapas,
Salt & Pepper, Chilli Crab, Paella, Thai,
Moroccan and Seafood BBQ classes as
well as a new Seafood Salads class with
quick and delicious recipes perfect for
warm summer days (see page 7).
Christmas is nearly here, so remember
our gift certificates can be ordered by
phone or printed immediately online. Why
not buy a certificate and arrange to attend
a class with the recipient, giving a gift that
money can’t buy: a shared experience.
Happy Summer!
Good Food Guide Restaurant of the Year.
WEBSITES
Visit the FISHline pages on Sydney Fish Market’s
website, www.sydneyfishmarket.com.au for tips
on how to purchase the freshest seafood and the
best way to store it, as well as recipes, step-by-step
preparation diagrams, nutritional information and
information sheets on many popular species.
If you’re a fan of sweet, succulent crabmeat, check
out Noosa Spanner Crab meat producer, Ceas
at www.ceascrabpak.com and download their
free recipe brochure with quick and simple recipes
developed by chef Tetsuya Wakuda.
While we think nothing’s better than fresh
Aussie seafood, we do admit to enjoying some
delicious fresh fish flown in from our neighbours
across the Tasman from time to time. Visit
www.greatestmeal.co.nz and check out some
great recipes using fresh New Zealand seafood.
Gourmet Sleuth www.gourmetsleuth.com is
a wonderful resource for anyone after recipes,
ingredient substitution ideas, foodie articles and
websites, as well as being a great place to buy
hard-to-find equipment such as tortilla presses and
sweet little lidded pot-de-crème cups.
Franz Scheurer from Australian Gourmet Pages
www.australiangourmetpages.com provides wine
Veteran chef Damien Pignolet (Bistro
suggestions for all the recipes in this newsletter.
Moncur) gets us started on 6 November
The AGP website includes restaurant, food, wine and
featuring recipes from his new book
spirit reviews and articles, and you can subscribe to
Salades (see book review page 8), while
Justin North (Bécasse), Christine
FOO d
Roberta Muir
the FREE e-newsletter from the homepage.
Sydney Seafood School NOVEMBER 2010 – FEBRUARY 2011
1
FEATURE SPECIES
Storing
DORY
Make sure whole fish is gutted and cleaned
thoroughly; King and Silver Dories also need
to be scaled. Wrap whole fish and fillets in
plastic wrap or place in an airtight container.
Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze whole
fish for up to 6 months, and fillets for up to
3 months, below -18˚C.
Cooking & Serving
Dories are versatile, suitable for steaming,
The name ‘Dory’ comes from old French ‘doree’, meaning ‘gilded’ referring to the Dories’
poaching, deep-frying, pan-frying, baking,
shiny skin. These large-eyed, silvery, fish with flat, disc-shaped bodies and spiny fins are
grilling, and barbecuing. They have a mild,
generally found in deepwater on or near the ocean bed.
flavour (John Dory is slightly sweet), low
oiliness and moist, medium-textured flesh
The most common commercial Dories
with fine flakes and few bones, which are
in Australia belong to the Zeidae family,
easily removed. The edible skin can be
named for the powerful Greek god Zeus and
left on. Fillets are thin and best wrapped
known as the ‘true’ Dories. They are among
in foil or banana leaves to protect them if
Australia’s most popular fish.
barbecuing or grilling.
When is a Dory not a Dory
Oreodories, members of a closely related
Mirror Dory. Photo by Franz Scheurer.
expensive relation and makes a good
alternative.
Other Dories occasionally seen include
members of the Cyttidae family (sometimes
John Dory. Photo by Franz Scheurer.
John Dory (Zeus faber) is one of the most
highly prized of all finfish. Found in the
western Pacific, eastern Atlantic and Indian
Oceans, it’s known as Peter fish or St Peter’s
fish in many European languages due to
the story that the distinctive dark spot on
either side of its body is from the thumb
print of St Peter the fisherman. The origin of
its English name is a bit hazier, though the
most likely explanation is a reference to the
greeny-silver hue of its smooth shiny skin,
from ‘jaune doré’, French for ‘golden yellow’.
Another explanation is ‘Janitore’, Latin for
‘door-keeper’, another allusion to St. Peter,
the keeper of Heaven’s gates. It’s caught
mainly off the south-eastern coast of NSW
and Victoria, is available year round and is
typically 500g-1.5kg and 30-45cm, but can
grow to 3.5kg and 75cm.
2
called ‘Australian Dories’ though some are
found further afield than Australian waters).
They’re mainly caught as by-catch and,
unlike the ‘true’ Dories, their scaled skin
is rough to touch. Silver Dory (Cyttus
australis) is endemic to Australia, it has
silvery-pink skin and a more elongated body
than most other Dories. King Dory (Cyttus
traversi) is mainly caught as bycatch of Blue
Grenadier trawling off the south-eastern
coast of NSW and Victoria. New Zealand
Dory (Cyttus novaezealandiae) is another
member of this family.
family, belong to the same order as Dories,
Zeiformes. They have rougher, darker skin,
larger eyes and more elongated bodies
than Dories and are generally found in
deeper water. They include Black (Allocyttus
niger); Warty (Allocyttus verrucosus – also
marketed as Black Oreodory); Rough
(Neocyttus psilorhynchus); Spiky (Neocyttus
rhomboidalis); Smooth (Pseudocyttus
maculates); and Oxeye Oreodories
(Oreosoma atlanticum), though in North
America Allocyttus folletti is known as Oxeye
Oreo. They are less expensive than Dories
and generally considered inferior to them,
though they are still good eating and can be
substituted for Dories in recipes. They have
a thick skin, which is best removed, and a
slightly firmer texture than Dories.
A number of unrelated, inferior species are
sometimes incorrectly labelled as Dories
Buying
by retailers hoping to trade on the strength
Dories are sold whole (gilled and gutted) and
of this species’ popularity. Basa (Pangasius
in fillet form (usually skin on, as the most
bocourti), a farmed catfish imported from
highly prized, John Dory, is identified by the
South East Asia, is sometimes sold as Pacific
dark spot on its side). In whole fish look for
dory or cream dory. Butterfish, including
lustrous skin, firm flesh, and a pleasant, fresh
Striped Scat (Selenotoca multifasciata) and
sea smell. In fillets, look for firm, lustrous,
Spotted Scat (Scatophagus argus) have
Mirror Dory (Zenopsis nebulosa) has shiny,
moist flesh without any brown markings or
sometimes been called dory, john dory or
smooth, virtually scaleless, silver skin and
oozing water and with a pleasant fresh sea
johnny dory and several species of Spinyfin
is caught in deeper water than John Dory,
smell. John Dory flesh is white, whereas
(members of the Diretmidae family) have
mainly off the south-eastern coast of NSW
Mirror Dory has a pink tinge and Silver and
also sometimes been incorrectly marketed
and Victoria. It’s a similar size to its more
King Dories are slightly yellowish.
as Dories.
Sydney Seafood School NOVEMBER 2010 – FEBRUARY 2011
R EC I P E S
Pan-Fried John Dory
with Orange, Parsley
& Date Salad
It doesn’t come much simpler than this: a beautiful piece
of pan-fried fish with a sweet little tumble of orange, dates,
parsley and onion. So simple, but so tasty … the salad can be
made a few hours ahead and the fish only takes minutes to
cook just before serving.
Serves 6
6 x 180g John Dory fillets, skin on
Salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon, juiced
Orange, Parsley & Date Salad
2 cups flat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped
2 oranges, segmented, juice reserved
100g pitted Ligurian olives
1 small red onion, quartered and finely sliced
1 cup dates, pitted and sliced into slivers
¹⁄³ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Make Orange, Parsley & Date Salad: combine all ingredients, including the
reserved orange juice.
Season fillets well on both sides with salt and pepper.
Heat a frying pan over high heat and add olive oil. Place fillets in pan, skinside down, and cook for 2-3 minutes until the skin is well browned and the
flesh is almost cooked through. Turn, add a good squeeze of lemon juice,
cook for a further minute then remove from pan.
Serve with salad on the side.
Wine suggestion: Voyager Estate’s Chenin Blanc 2009 is an
aromatic wine best consumed young; its fabulous honeydew melon
and guava aromas and flavours will work perfectly with this dish.
www.voyagerestate.com.au
Photo by Franz Scheurer.
Mirror Dory Fingers with
Piquillo Mayo
These moist, crisp, moreish ‘fish fingers’ make great pre-dinner
nibbles or a delicious entrée sure to please old and young alike.
Increase the chilli powder or replace it with sweet paprika for a
more or less spicy version.
Serves 4 as an entrée
600g fillets Mirror Dory
1 cup plain flour
1 tablespoon salt flakes, crushed
1 teaspoon chilli powder
Olive oil, for shallow-frying
Lemon cheek, to serve
Piquillo Mayo
½ cup whole egg mayonnaise (see notes)
2 tablespoons chopped piquillo peppers (see notes)
½ tablespoon lemon juice
Salt flakes, to taste
Make Piquillo Mayo: combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend
until smooth.
Slice fillets into long, thin strips.
Combine flour, salt and chilli powder in a plastic bag. Add fish strips and shake
to coat well. Tip into a fine sieve and gently shake off the excess mixture.
Heat a frying pan over high heat and add oil. Lay fish strips in pan and cook
Photo by Franz Scheurer.
for a minute or 2, until almost opaque. Turn, and cook for a further 30-60
seconds then remove from pan and drain on paper towels.
Pile onto a platter, sprinkle with salt and serve with Piquillo Mayo and a lemon
cheek on the side.
Notes: If you don’t want to make your own mayonnaise, use one made from
whole eggs such as Paul Newman’s Own or Thomy. Piquillo peppers are a
Spanish pepper available in tins and jars from good delis; use peeled, roasted
red capsicum if they’re unavailable.
Wine suggestion: The Piquillo Mayo will stand up to a soft red wine,
making Primo Estate Merlesco 2009 the perfect companion. Soft,
juicy, fruit-forward with crunchy tannins, it’s a glorious wine.
www.primoestate.com.au
Sydney Seafood School NOVEMBER 2010 – FEBRUARY 2011
3
Go into a draw to WIN a Sharp 2.1 Channel
DVD Home Theatre system when you make
an online booking.
Booking online is quick, convenient and secure … and
you can do it from any computer at any time of the day or
night, whenever it’s convenient for you. It saves us time and
resources too as we don’t have as many phone calls to answer
and your booking goes straight into our computer without us
having to enter the data. A WIN-WIN situation.
So, to say thank you, every time you book online before 1
March 2011 you’ll go into a draw to win a Sharp 2.1 Channel
DVD Home Theatre with subwoofer and Tall Boy Speakers,
valued at $849. Transform TV, movies, and music into a
realistic 5.1 channel surround sound experience without the
complicated 5 speaker set up. The progressive scan DVD
player with high definition multimedia interface provides crystal
clear pictures on your high definition television; built-in FM stereo digital tuner provides crystal clear digital radio listening; and built-in
USB host plays MP3 music files from any USB memory stick or MP3 player. Learn more at www.sharp.net.au
So visit www.sydneyfishmarket.com.au and book now.
Terms and Conditions: 1.Sydney Seafood School Online Booking Promotion entry is open to all Sydney Seafood School customers. 2. To participate in this promotion book online by midnight on Monday 28
February 2011. 3. There is no entry fee involved in participating in this competition, but all participants must be 15 years of age or older. 4. To be eligible to win a Sharp 2.1 Channel DVD Home Theatre system
valued at $849, entrants must book a Sydney Seafood School cooking class online by midnight on Monday 28 February 2011. 5. Prize will be drawn at Sydney Fish Market, Bank Street Pyrmont, NSW 2009
at 11am 1 March 2011. The winner will be notified by email on the same day. 6. Promoter is Sydney Fish Market, Bank Street Pyrmont, NSW 2009. Phn +61 2 9004 1100. ABN 24 064 254 306. 7. You must
ensure that all care is taken when making the booking. A booking is not deemed to have been received unless an email confirming the booking has been sent to the customer. 8. Sydney Fish Market accepts no
responsibility for any booking not received by Sydney Fish Market or delays in the delivery of bookings due to technical disruptions or for any reason. All online bookings are deemed to be received at the time
of receipt NOT time of transmission by the entrant. 9. Sydney Fish Market reserves the right to keep all entry emails confidential. 10. Employees of Sydney Fish Market and their families are not eligible to enter.
11. The prize is not transferable or redeemable for cash. Authorised under NSW Permit No LTPS/10/04327.
FAQ
Answers to
Frequently Asked
Questions
Check the FAQ pages in the FISHline
section of www.sydneyfishmarket.com.au
and if you can’t find the answer
there, email your question to
fishline@sydneyfishmarket.com.au
The biggest mistake people make when
cooking seafood is overcooking. Fish flesh
has a more delicate structure than red meat
or poultry, so heat penetrates it, and cooks
it, very quickly. The trick is to take it off the
heat just before you think it’s fully cooked,
as the residual heat in it will continue to
cook it on its way to the table.
4
How can I tell when fish fillets, steaks
or cutlets are cooked? Flesh that has
just turned opaque is the key. Cook fish
skin-side down as the skin protects the flesh
from overcooking. Watch the edges or sides
of the fillet: turn thin fillets (such as Garfish)
when the edges turn opaque; with thick
fillets wait until the flesh has turned opaque
about ¾ of the way up the side of the fillet,
then turn. The second side will only need a
minute or 2 further cooking, depending on
thickness, it’s cooked when it flakes easily
when tested with a fork. And remember,
some fish, especially oily fish like Salmon,
Tuna and Yellowtail Kingfish, are great
served rare – but always buy sashimi-grade
if you plan to serve them this way.
How can I tell when whole fish are
cooked? In plate-sized whole fish, test by
gently pulling on the dorsal (top) fin, it’s
cooked when the fin comes out without
any resistance and the eye is completely
opaque. In larger whole fish look inside the
Sydney Seafood School NOVEMBER 2010 – FEBRUARY 2011
belly cavity towards the backbone to check
that the flesh there has turned opaque.
How can I tell when crustaceans are
cooked? The shells of crustaceans,
including Prawns, Crabs, Rocklobsters and
Bugs, turn bright red when they’re cooked.
Their flesh is quite delicate, so once the
heat has penetrated the tough shell the
meat cooks quickly. If crustacean meat has
been removed from the shell, it’s ready as
soon as it turns from translucent to opaque.
How can I tell when bivalves are
cooked? Bivalves, such as Mussels, Pipis
and Vongole are cooked as soon as their
shells open. When cooking a batch of these
shellfish they’ll pop open at different times,
so stand by with tongs and a bowl and
remove each shell from the pan as soon as
it opens. When most have opened, cover
the rest and cook for another minute or 2.
Pry any unopened shells open over the sink
and if they look and smell good, they’re fine
to eat.
CLASSIC DISH
S a lt &
P e pp e r
The use of salt and pepper as the typical condiments on western
tables began in 17th century France and today virtually every
recipe for a European-style dish calls for these two ingredients.
RECIPE
Deep-Fried Salt &
Pepper Octopus
Deep-frying, when done properly, is a great way to
cook seafood. It’s fast, cooking most foods in a few
minutes, it quickly seals the food’s surface, locking in
flavour and moisture and it adds appealing crunch,
colour and aroma.
Serves 6 as an entrée
1kg baby Octopus
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
1 tablespoon crushed coriander seeds
2 tablespoons salt flakes, crushed
1 tablespoon crushed white peppercorns
Photo by Franz Scheurer.
2 cups tapioca starch
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
The ‘salt and pepper’ flavouring used in Chinese dishes however refers
to Sichuan pepper, not a true pepper (from the Piper nigrum vine),
but a similar-shaped dried fruit from the prickly ash tree (Zanthoxylum
Clean Octopus and cut it into bite-sized pieces. Place in a
piperitum). Along with chillies, Sichuan pepper defines food from the
bowl with fish sauce and lemon juice and leave to marinate for
south-west Chinese region of Sichuan (also written Szechuan/Szechwan).
It is one of the most ancient Chinese spices and has a strange tingling,
numbing effect. Some say the reason for its popularity in this spicy
cuisine is that the numbing effect allows people to eat even more chillies!
It also has a wonderful aroma, which is amplified by roasting and grinding,
and was used as perfume before becoming a culinary spice.
As for salt, it’s often considered the foundation of Sichuanese cooking,
as its use draws out the natural flavours of other ingredients. Unlike
other Chinese regions where soy sauce is the primary source of salt, in
30 minutes. Drain and pat dry.
Place chilli, coriander, salt, pepper and cornflour in a large
freezer bag, add the Octopus and shake well to coat. Place
Octopus in a colander and shake well to remove excess flour.
Heat oil in a wok or deep-fryer to 190˚C. Add Octopus and
cook for 1-2 minutes, until crisp and tender.
Sichuan, local crystallised salt, mined in the region for over 2,000 years,
is most commonly used. Traditional Sichuanese cuisine is categorised
into 23 separate flavours, of which ‘Sichuan Pepper & Salt’ is one, with
Wine suggestion: This dish demands a wine with a bit of
ground dry-roasted Sichuan pepper mixed with roasted salt and used as a
complexity, like Curly Flat’s unwooded, excellent value,
dip for deep-fried foods. From this traditional flavouring come the ‘Salt &
Lacuna Chardonnay 2006. www.curlyflat.com
Pepper’ dishes so often seen on Chinese menus in Australia.
From the traditional combination of salt and Sichuan pepper, it’s easy
to improvise other seasonings for deep-fried seafood. Many ‘salt &
Learn the secrets of traditional Chinese salt & pepper
pepper’ mixtures include ground white and/or black peppercorns
Prawns and contemporary chilli salt Squid at one of
and some include Chinese five spice (which contains Sichuan pepper
Sydney Seafood School’s regular Salt & Pepper cooking
along with cassia or cinnamon, fennel seed, star anise and cloves).
A combination of ground chilli and salt is another variation seen on
bistro and café menus across the country.
classes. Visit www.sydneyfishmarket.com.au or call
9004 1111 to book.
Sydney Seafood School NOVEMBER 2010 – FEBRUARY 2011
5
ALESSANDRO PAVONI
from ORMEGGIO AT
THE SPIT
Tuna Crudo
with Tomato,
Avocado &
Burrata
Most of the Italian food with which
Sydney-siders are familiar either
hails from southern Italy or consists
of northern dishes (such as risotto)
cooked by chefs with southern heritage.
It’s a long way from the sparkling
Mediterranean waters of Sicily to the
snow-covered Italian Alps, and the food
is also, understandably, very different.
6 ripe Roma tomatoes, quartered
There’s a lot about northern Italian food
that we have yet to learn, and Alessandro
Pavoni, whose cooking is firmly rooted in the
traditions of his home region of Lombardy in
Italy’s north, is on a mission to rectify this.
With a CV that starts at Ristorante Carlo
Magno under renowned chefs Iginio Massari
and Giuseppe Maffioli, and moves through
Michelin-starred kitchens such as Villa
Fiordaliso on Lake Garda, it’s not surprising
that Pavoni came to notice when he took
over the burners at harbourkitchen&bar at
Park Hyatt Sydney in 2005.
500g burrata (see notes)
Like so many young chefs however he
hankered for a restaurant of his own, where
he could combine the traditional cuisine
of his childhood with the fabulous fresh
produce he discovered in Australia and
modern techniques and presentation ideas.
In November last year the dream became
a reality when he and long-time front-ofhouse colleague, Fraser Guthrie, opened
Ormeggio at the Spit, suspended over the
water at Mosman’s d’Albora Marina.
Ormeggio is Italian for ‘mooring’, and
Pavoni says the Middle Harbour location
reminds him of the beautiful lakes of
northern Italy. The nautical setting lends
itself to lots of wood, crisp white linen and
large sliding windows and doors, giving
an alfresco feeling even to inside tables.
It also makes seafood a natural focus,
alongside the game, polenta and risotto
for which Lombardy is famous.
Crudo of Yellowtail Kingfish with olives,
green apple, cucumber jelly, lime and Lake
Como extra virgin olive oil, and tartare of
venison with amaranth, pomegranate and
mustard chestnuts make fine antipasti with
a glass of sparkling Franciacorta as the
6
Serves 6 as an entrée
½ bunch basil, leaves only
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Salt flakes, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
500g piece sashimi-grade tuna loin
2 avocados
Extra virgin olive oil, to serve
Blend tomato, most of the basil, garlic, vinegar, salt
and pepper to a puree in a food processor. Pass
setting sun lights up one of Sydney’s most
beautiful waterways.
through a fine sieve.
Pavoni is the risotto king, raising its making
from an art form to a religion, so it’s
hard to choose anything else as a primi,
whether it’s the earthy risotto of beetroot
and gorgonzola or a more delicate one
with oysters, prosecco and lemon. When
it comes time for secondi it’s worth eating
with a group of friends in order to enjoy the
specialty of Pavoni’s hometown of Brescia:
Spiedo alla Bresciana (minimum of 10
people, 24 hours notice). This traditional
spit-roast consists of pieces of duck, pork,
and quail cooked with sage and butter for 5
hours on a slowly turning spit, and served
with a coarse yellow polenta.
portion into 3 slices.
As the last of the colour fades from the sky
and the house lights on the Seaforth shore
flicker like those of Limone on Lake Garda,
dip a spoon into Alessandro’s Barbajada
dessert (based on a Milanese winter drink
of malted chocolate, coffee and cream)
with caramel gelato and almond and mint
crumble, sip a good espresso and thank
goodness for the fate that brought this
passionate chef from Italy’s snowy Alps to
Sydney’s sparkling harbour.
specialty of the Puglia region, available from some
d'Albora Marina,
The Spit, Mosman, 9969 4088
Lunch: Tuesday to Sunday
Dinner: Tuesday to Sunday
www.ormeggio.com.au
See Alessandro Pavoni at Sydney
Seafood School on 7 February. Visit
www.sydneyfishmarket.com.au or call
9004 1111 to book.
Sydney Seafood School NOVEMBER 2010 – FEBRUARY 2011
Slice the Tuna into 6 equal portions, then cut each
Cut avocados into 2cm-thick slices, dice, dress with
salt and extra virgin olive oil.
Chop burrata finely, dress with salt and extra virgin
olive oil.
Place avocado in the centre of serving bowls, top
each with 3 slices of tuna then burrata.
Pour tomato mixture around the sides. Drizzle with
olive oil, sprinkle with salt, garnish with remaining
basil and serve.
Notes: Burrata is a fresh mozzarella filled with
cream and fresh curd and twisted closed. It’s a
delicatessens.
Wine suggestion: Beelgara Estate Range Rosé
2009 is fruit forward but quite dry, with alluring
raspberry flavours and a distinct earthiness.
A perfect summer wine with this delicious summer
dish. www.beelgara.com.au
S EAFOOD
S ALAD S
Salads make a perfect meal year round, but especially during the warmer months.
Served at room temperature, there’s no rush to get them to the table hot, and
they can be enjoyed at a leisurely pace. Seafood, with its light flavours and array
of colours, is perfect for warm or cold salads, as entrées, light meals or buffet
dishes. Choose a classic or invent your own.
Prawn Cocktail, that great 1970s and 80s dinner party entrée, is back with a vengeance.
And why not? Made with fresh ingredients it’s a deliciously simple dish that deserves to stay in
fashion. It traditionally consists of Prawns in a cocktail sauce on a bed of iceberg lettuce. MarieRose, the classic cocktail sauce, is mayonnaise tinted pale pink with tomato ketchup (never
the thinner, more acidic tomato sauce) and lifted with a little lemon juice and chilli in the form
of Tabasco or cayenne pepper. Diced avocado, while not traditional, is a delicious addition. You
can buy already cooked Prawns, but you’ll find they’re much more tender when freshly boiled.
Salade Niçoise, from the city of Nice in southern France, is traditionally associated with
canned Tuna, for which the Mediterranean is famous. It was however originally a cold
vegetable salad, Tuna being a later addition. Fresh Tuna lifts it to a new level.
Tips for making other seafood salads:
• For a substantial salad, start by choosing a carbohydrate: boiled potatoes, pasta, rice,
couscous, cracked wheat or other grains. This could be determined by what leftovers
you have on hand.
• Add any seafood you like, although it’s usually best to keep flavours simple and stay with
just one variety.
• Next add one or more vegetables, soft salad leaves or crisp greens such as asparagus.
• Fresh herbs lift flavour and aroma; flat-leaf parsley, chervil, dill and coriander are all
suitable, green onions add a bit of heat.
• The dressing can be vinaigrette-based (oil plus citrus or vinegar) or a creamy,
mayonnaise-based version. Either way be sure to add it at the last moment so leaves and
vegetables don’t wilt, and stir it through gently so as not to break up the seafood.
• Seek inspiration from simple classic salads such as coleslaw, tabouli, Waldorf or Caesar,
using them as a base to create your own creations.
See the FISHline pages of www.sydneyfishmarket.com.au for more great seafood
salad recipes, including:
• Bonito, White Bean & Tomato Salad with Caper Mayonnaise
• Vietnamese Salad with Yellowfin Bream
• Smoked Trout & Cracked Wheat Salad
Crab & Green
Mango Salad
Serves 6 as an entrée
750g cooked Crab meat (see notes)
1 large green mango, shredded
100g snow pea sprouts, trimmed
1 punnet cherry tomatoes, halved
1 bunch green asparagus, trimmed
Coconut Dressing
140ml coconut milk
2 teaspoons grated ginger
1 small red chilli, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons shredded mint leaves
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon fish sauce
½ teaspoon grated palm sugar
Salt flakes, to taste
Cut asparagus on the diagonal and blanch in boiling
water for 30-60 seconds. Make Coconut Dressing:
place all ingredients in a screw-top jar, shake well and
chill until needed.
If using pre-picked Crab meat, place it in a colander
and squeeze gently to remove any excess moisture.
Place in a large bowl with avocado, mango, sprouts,
tomatoes and asparagus and mix gently to combine.
Arrange on a serving platter, pour over dressing and
serve immediately.
Notes: If you don’t want to pick your own Crab meat,
buy good quality frozen Australian Crab meat such as
Ceas or Abacus.
Wine Suggestion: With aromas of rose petals and
musk augmented by cherry and Turkish delight flavours,
Coriole Nebbiolo Rosé 2008 is an ideal match for
this salad. www.coriole.com
Learn more great salad recipes at Sydney
Seafood School’s Seafood Salads classes on 20 &
28 January. Visit www.sydneyfishmarket.com.au
or call 9004 1111 to book.
• Smoked Tuna Salad
• Salad of Cuttlefish, Tomato & Sweet Sour Onions
• Cuttlefish, Potato & Spinach Salad
• Warm Salad of Barbecued Octopus, Zucchini & Marinated Fennel
• Moreton Bay Bug Salad with Rocket, Asparagus & Saffron Aïoli
• Salad of Moreton Bay Bugs & Brown Rice with Sesame Dressing
• Crab, Celeriac, Orange & Asparagus Salad
• Crab Salad with Witlof & Snow Peas
• Redclaw & Soba Noodle Salad
• Yabby Salad with Tomato & Basil
• Yabby Cocktail
• Prawn Salad with Chilli, Cucumber & Watercress
• Rocklobster Salad with Radish, Orange & Mint
• Rocklobster & Herb Salad with Asian Dressing
Photo by Franz Scheurer.
Sydney Seafood School NOVEMBER 2010 – FEBRUARY 2011
7
Salad of Fennel,
Cucumber and Avocado
with Ocean Trout Roe
This salad is perfect served with Prawns barbecued in their shells.
Serves 6
1 head fennel, trimmed and cut into eighths lengthwise
2 large Lebanese cucumbers, peeled and cut into 2cm dice
1 large firm avocado, peeled, seeded and cut into 1cm dice
1 handful flat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly shredded
2 teaspoons walnut oil or pistachio oil
20ml extra virgin olive oil
40ml vegetable oil
20ml cider vinegar, or more to taste
1 golden shallot, finely diced
Sea salt and freshly ground white pepper, to taste
12 small cos lettuce leaves, washed and dried
100g Ocean Trout roe
Shave the fennel into 2mm-thick slices using a sharp knife or mandoline and put in a mixing
bowl. Add cucumber, avocado and parsley. Combine the oils, vinegar, shallot, salt and pepper.
Taste and adjust with vinegar so the dressing tastes slightly sharp. Moisten the vegetables with
most of the dressing (taking care not to add too much) and toss gently. Distribute the salad
between the cos leaves, top with roe and serve with Prawns barbecued in their shells.
Wine Suggestion: Terroir-mad Mount Majura vineyards produce the perfect wine for this dish:
Mount Majura Pinot Gris 2010; a clean, fruit-driven wine which never sees any oak and is
meant to be drunk young. www.mountmajura.com.au
Recipe from Salades by Damien Pignolet. Photo by Anson Smart.
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Disclaimer: The information in this newsletter is provided in good faith. While Sydney Fish Market Pty Ltd makes
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8
Sydney Seafood School NOVEMBER 2010 – FEBRUARY 2011
B OO K
REVIEW
Salades by Damien Pignolet
Yet again Damien
Pignolet, author
of the beautiful
cooking ‘manual’
French, has
produced a book
that instructs,
informs, and
entertains, that
has value for what
it teaches now
and for what it will remind us of in years
to come. Written in Pignolet’s informative,
conversational style, it’s part cookbook part
snapshot of Sydney food in 2010, when
Sopra on Macleay Street makes excellent
coleslaw and mâche leaves have recently
become reliably available.
Balance is the overriding theme as Pignolet
goes about combining bitter, sweet, soft,
crisp, smoky, peppery, earthy, piquant, salty
and tart to introduce a vast repertoire within
a course that has often been unfortunately
relegated to a ‘side dish’. From composed
salads that make wonderful entrées, such
as Yabbies with fennel, celery, avocado and
hazelnut vinaigrette, to his take on classics,
including a coleslaw with a twist; from main
course salads such as seared baby Squid
tossed with roasted onions, mint, chives and
dandelion, to those designed for the more
typical role of accompaniment like a tumble
of fennel, cucumber, avocado and Trout roe,
perfect alongside barbecued Prawns (see
recipe at left). There are also salads for
special occasions, think Mud Crab, witlof and
basil with ginger-scented dressing, and warm
salads like seared Scallops with Jerusalem
artichokes and herbs, also mentioned in the
chapter dedicated to winter salads.
Most recipes include suggestions for
additional courses or components to round
out the meal, with rockmelon, raspberry,
honey and passionfruit salad recommended
to follow a large baked fish with saffron pilaf
and green salad. Read it for the history past
and present, keep it handy in the kitchen for
delicious salads, simple and complex, for
every stage of the meal, year round.
RRP $59.95 (Penguin)
ISBN 9 781920 989552
Damien will present seafood recipes
from his new book on 6 November.
Visit www.sydneyfishmarket.com.au or
call 9004 1111 to book.