Gildas (right) and anchovy toasts.Katrina MeyninkHoly smoked mackerel pâté,ourGood Food Guide reviewers encountered a lot of seafood as they ate their way around NSW and Victoria this year.
Maybe the rising cost of red meat and lobster (or the rising cost of everything,really) is the reason we're seeing more affordable dishes such as prawns on menus,quite often kissed by a grill and kicked up with'nduja,that fiery spreadable Calabrian salami.
Anchovies have gone from popular to stratospheric,partly boosted by our developing love affair with the gilda,while Murray cod is fast becoming this century's salmon,only much more delicious and buttery (you can thank a new sustainable aquafarm in the Riverina for that;and try it at these restaurantsin Melbourne andSydney).
And whether it's crudo,sashimi,tartare or ceviche,we're increasingly surprised when a restaurantdoesn'tfeature raw kingfish in one form or another.
Here,Katrina Meynink reinterprets the ingredients and the dishes that appear again and again in this year'sGood Food Guideso you can bring restaurant flavours home.
–Callan Boys,editor of theThe Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2023
Gildas (tapas on toothpicks)
This classic Basque country pinchos has been popping up on bar menus the country over,and for good reason. It's a killer combo of anchovies,olives,pickled guindilla or peperoncino chillies (peppers),and is easy to make at home. I've added some salted chips for crunch and salty decadence. These are entirely optional,but just quietly,an entirely worthy addition.
INGREDIENTS
- To make the toasts,trim the loaf of any crusts until you have a rectangular shape then cut the loaf into thin slices.
- Add the oil,ghee,garlic and oregano in a frying pan and place over medium heat. Once hot and the garlic is fragrant,add the bread cubes and cook until crisp,about 45 seconds,then cook the other side until crisp. Remove from the pan and strain off excess oil on paper towel. While the toasts are still warm,smear with a generous dollop of butter and top with an anchovy and salt. Add a small teaspoon of relish to a few of the toasts for those who love the combination of salty,rich and sweet.
Makes about 8-10 (depending on size of loaf and size of anchovy tin)
Kingfish crudo with ginger-citrus dressing.Katrina MeyninkKingfish crudo with ginger-citrus dressing and quick coriander oil
This makes more dressing than you will need to dress the kingfish,but it's delightful to have in the fridge to marinate proteins or drizzle over smashed cucumbers for throw-together snacks on hot summer days.
Serves 5-8 as part of a spread
Tip:Dress the fish just before serving. If it sits in the dressing,the acidity will denature the protein in the fish,turning it opaque and firming the texture.
Photo:Katrina MeyninkMurray cod with herb butter
This quintessentially Aussie fish has a clean,mild flavour,with flesh that flakes perfectly and skin that crisps like pork crackling. The robustness of the skin and fat content help it retain its glorious moisture,so it can handle being cooked over coals in a restaurant kitchen. But at home,a simple hot pan,a herbaceous butter and lashings of lemon juice bring out its best qualities.
I don't own a fish weight,but an easy work-around is to grease the base of a heavy saucepan and place this over the fish fillets so you can crisp the skin while evenly cooking the flesh. This works beautifully served with a simple green salad and piping hot crisp fries.
INGREDIENTS
- 4 x 100-120g Murray cod fillets
- 2 tbsp ghee
- 2 tbsp butter
- 3 cloves garlic,lightly crushed
- sea salt flakes to season
- wedges of lemon to serve
Herb butter
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1 garlic clove,crushed
- 150g butter,room temperature
- 1 cup finely chopped soft herbs (parsley,tarragon,dill,basil)
METHOD
- Preheat the oven to 180C fan-forced (200C conventional).
- Place the garlic on a square of foil. Drizzle over 1 tablespoon of the olive oil,enclose the garlic with the foil and cook the parcel for 20 minutes or until the garlic is roasted and soft. Peel the garlic and add to a food processor with the remaining butter ingredients. Whiz in the processor until fully incorporated and the butter appears light and fluffy.
- Prep the prawns by using a pair of kitchen scissors to snip through the back of the prawns from the head to tail,keeping the head intact for flavour and the shell on to protect the prawn flesh when it hits the heat. Remove the vein and open the prawns to lie flat.
- Heat a char-grill pan (or barbecue) over high heat. Add a generous dollop (at least 1 tablespoon) of'nduja butter and once it starts to foam,add the prawns,flesh side down for 1-2 minutes,then turn and dollop on more butter. Grill until the prawns are just cooked through (2-3 minutes) and have taken on a light char in spots. Transfer to a serving plate,season generously with salt and add a little more'nduja butter so it melts over the piping hot prawns. Serve with extra'nduja butter on the side for swiping,and lemon halves and salt and pepper for seasoning.
Serves 2-3 (or 4-6 as part of a spread)
The Age Good Food Guide 2023magazine is on sale from November 15 for $9.95 at newsagents,supermarkets andthestore.com.au.
The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 2023magazine is on sale from November 22 for $9.95 at newsagents and supermarkets or pre-order fromthestore.com.au.