Winter is a great season for seafood and fish. Here are some of our current favourites. Come and grab some from the market or ask us to cook them up as takeaway!

King Fish

We’ve had some absolutely cracking, locally caught kingfish in lately. This is one of the most versatile and delicious fish the ocean has to offer. It can be cooked whole or as fillets, steaks or cutlets. It can be baked, grilled, barbecued, deep fried and it’s from flesh also means it’s great added to curries, pasta sauces or stirfries. It’s also one of the best fishes to consume raw, making it perfect for sashimi, ceviches, crudos, and carpaccios. We also love that it’s a low waste fish. Its frame and head are perfect for homemade fish stock. Forget about salmon or Barra and go for true local class. In store now.

John Dory

Dories are plentiful in winter. These deep sea beauties typically spend the warmer months at depths of one kilometre but move to shallower waters in winter and fatten up. John Dory is one of the most versatile fish species, with a mild sweet flavour, moist flesh with with fine flakes and not too many bones. Wrap fillets in foil or banana leaves and grill or barbecue to appreciate the delicate flavours. Dory is also fantastic steamed whole, poached, baked or panfried. It’s delicious with the simple fresh flavours of citrus, herbs and a little butter.

Mussels

Mussels are a winter comfort dish worldwide and we love a serve of Moules Frites – mussels in a pot of broth served with hot chips. It’s a French classic and simple to make. Cook the mussels in your choice of broth, some white wine, garlic and herbs for around 5 minutes, until the mussels are all open. Serve immediately with golden, crunchy chips on the side.

Sardines

We’re big fans of the humble sardine. These fast growing, fully sustainable little dynamos are one of the richest sources of omega-3 oils available. Add high levels of calcium, iron, zinc, vitamin D, potassium and niacin and they’re practically a multivitamin pill! Readily available year round, they’re a consistently affordable fish that should be on everyone’s shopping list. Particularly in winter when we all need an extra shot of vitamins. Keep it simple when it comes to sardines. Dust fillets lightly with flour and fry a hot, lightly oiled pan. For the ultimate winter comfort food, serve the fillets on freshly toasted sourdough with a drizzle of olive oil and lemon juice. Sensational!

It took around 12 months to research and commission this traditionally made fish trap from Arnhem Land, the wonderful centrepiece of our new restaurant. At four metres long the trap hangs from our lofty ceiling, creating an evocative link to the endless view of water, mangroves and sealife that surrounds you.

The trap was created by Bonny Burarn.garra and Freda Wayartja Ali of the renowned Maningrida Arts & Culture community in northern Arnhem Land. It is a fantastic example of the traditional Burarra fibre weaving that has become highly sought after for exhibition.

The Burarra people have a complex knowledge of ecology and a spiritual relationship with their coastal land. They aim to preserve this knowledge for future generations and also want to share it with others. While these traps are no longer used by the Burarra the skills are still passed on.

Traps like ours were used for thousands of years in rivers, creeks and estuaries when fish were on the move. In the early wet season they swim upstream for breeding in creeks and billabongs, then downstream to spend the dry season in larger rivers. The traps would be set to face the oncoming fish, with woven fencing either side. Within the mouth of the trap is a woven funnel that guides the fish in and prevents their escape. The clever design ensures that only adult fish are caught as smaller fish can escape through the weaving or even through the funnel. The fish that are caught can survive in the trap for up to two months. Once the trap is removed, the end is untied to remove the fish. This sustainable design means the trap can be used again and again.

Commissioning this work is our tribute to one of the oldest and most sustainable fishing methods in the world, and to our commitment to sustainably-sourced seafood.

We’ve been long committed to offering a range of seafood options that have been sourced sustainably with minimal impact on the environment. This means seafood caught at a reasonable level, with minimal by-catch, and in a way that doesn’t damage the oceans (we’re really not into dredging, for example.)

We want to make sure the entire ocean’s most tasty species will be available for future generations to enjoy, so to ensure you’re not buying seafood that harms the environment, it’s important to know what to order!

When you’re next scanning a seafood menu, or taking a stroll through our on-site fish market, consider these guys below. Each of them is sustainable, harmless to the environment and downright tasty.

Leather Jacket

This is a delicious saltwater fish with a light, sweet, moist flesh that doesn’t get the recognition it should! Stocks in Australia are healthy and are available all year round. They have somewhat of a thick skin, but this peels away easily once the head is removed. Wrap it in foil with sliced leeks, lemon, herbs and garlic and away you go. Its ability to hold its shape when diced means it’s great in curries and stir-fries, too.

Sea Mullet

Mullets have short lives and grow super quickly, so they’re a great sustainable fish that is easily replenished. It has quite an oily flesh with a distinct flavour and is ideal for pan-frying; their skin crisps up in hot butter or oil like nothing else! Or, try it on the barbecue, with a beer in the other hand.

Blue Mackerel

Most people are pretty well aware of the delicious Spanish mackerel, which is out-of-this-world when smoked. The blue mackerel offers similar great eating, with soft blue, oily flesh that is fantastic pickled, cured or smoked. It’s had a bit of a rebrand lately, ditching its name from slimy mackerel to blue – which we have to say is a great decision, though we’ll eat it no matter what it’s called.

Ocean Squid

Squid, along with cuttlefish and calamari are found in waters all over the world and are a great choice both for their environmental impact (minimal), and value for money. Slices of squid benefit from a quick run on a hot grill, or low and slow braising Spanish style. There’s always the frying option too, with a bunch of salt and lemon.

Sea Urchin

The bright orange roe of the sea urchin is an incredible product, and a delicacy in many parts of the world, especially Japan, where it’s referred to as uni. One bite fills your mouth with the flavour of the sea. Spiky urchins are collected by hand from where they cling to rocks, so there’s no bi-catch involved, which is fantastic on an environmental scale. To eat it, toss it through pasta with herbs, garlic and prawns, on top of steamed rice, or get right down to it and try it straight up with just a squeeze of lemon.

Ingredients

4 large mullet fillets.

SALAD
225g frozen (or fresh) broad beans.
120g frozen peas.
250g punnet cherry tomatoes, halved.
1 cup watercress sprigs.
125ml extra virgin olive oil.
60ml or white wine vinegar.