PANKO CRUMBED JEWFISH

Are fish religious? Do they have faith? Or have we given them religion by association. Saint Peter was a fisherman. The world's most famous picnic was based around loaves and fishes. Tilapia, a freshwater variety is sometimes called St Peter fish. There is an ugly variety called a monkfish. And then there is jewfish, which isn't ugly. And is very tasty. A very simple coating in coarse panko crumbs, squeeze of lemon juice and dollop of tapenade. Served with a watercress and radish salad.

PANKO CRUMBED JEWFISH

BABY BOK CHOY WITH TIANJIN PRESERVED VEGETABLES

A very simple and quick dish that I served with coconut sweet lip and a plate of snake beans & garlic shoots in crab sauce. I love the earthy saltiness of the preserved cabbage from Tianjin in China.

BABY BOK CHOY WITH TIANJIN PRESERVED VEGETABLES

COCONUT SWEET LIP WITH THAI FLAVOURS

There is a TV fisherman here in Australia by the name of Rex Hunt. Rex has a habit of kissing every fish he catches before returning it to the water. Every fish except shark. And maybe piranha. And barracuda. I have never kissed a fish, so I do not have Rex's expertise, but I wonder if the lips of a sweet lip truly are sweet. My first girlfriend had sweet lips - but that was on account of the strawberry lip gloss she wore. As far as I know, fish don't wear lipstick. Anyway, sweet lip isn't called sweet lip everywhere in Australia. It is also called red throated emperor. Which is strange because the red marking on a red throated emperor isn't around its throat, but higher up, closer to the back of its neck (if fish had necks). Anyway, it is a sweet fish that works well with the Thai flavours it gets here.

COCONUT SWEET LIP WITH THAI FLAVOURS

OCEAN TROUT WITH BLACK BEAN, TRUFFLE AND SQUID INK REDUCTION

There isn't enough black food. I mean properly black. Jet black. Black as ink. Under Milk Wood black - and if you've read the book, you'll know what I'm talking about. This is a fabulous sauce - a reduction of black bean stock, squid ink, black truffle oil, garlic and salt. ocean trout and zucchinis from this morning's markets.

OCEAN TROUT WITH BLACK BEAN, TRUFFLE AND SQUID INK REDUCTION

ROASTED VEGETABLES, CARAMELISED TOMATO BALSAMIC GLAZE & AIOLI

I often eat meals without meat. But I am not a vegetarian. That reminds me of some menus I have seen. If a fish burger is made from fish, then a vegetarian burger must be made from vegetarians. At least, that's what I used to think. That in turn reminds me of the Western Plains Zoo in New South Wales that had a price list that showed a price for the lion safari and another price for children and pensioners. It seemed a bit rich charging people to look at pensioners. Where I live I can see plenty of them for free. Same for children - just have a look at a kindergarten. Actually, that's not so easy - at least here in Australia. As a man, I'd be stoned, castrated, jailed and burned at the stake as a pedophile if I stopped to watch children. What a sad warped world we have created. Anyway, back to the vegetables. I am looking at this photo as I write this post. Does that make me a vegophile? Don't know. But they sure are tasty. So is this fabulous vinegar from Robinvale in Victoria.

ROASTED VEGETABLES, CARAMELISED TOMATO BALSAMIC GLAZE & AIOLI

POLENTA CRUSTED CHICKEN WITH AVOCADO AND CORN SALSA & CHIPOTLES EN ADOBO

It doesn't get much more Mexican than this ... except that polenta is Italian. And most people associate tomatoes with Italy as well. But corn, tomatoes, avocados and of course chillies all originate in Mexico ... along with chocolate, mango, sweet potato, zucchini, dragon fruit and more. Thank you, Chris Columbus for bringing all these goodies back to the old world.

POLENTA CRUSTED CHICKEN WITH AVOCADO AND CORN SALSA & CHIPOTLES EN ADOBO

CURRY OF CHICKEN, SNAKE BEANS & HOLY BASIL

A really rich pungent paste with a healthy dose of shrimp paste as well as roasted chillies. What I love about these Thai dishes is that once the curry paste is made (and I admit these can be time-consuming), the cooking is quick. Lots of brilliant snake beans at the markets right now. Holy basil from the garden. Unlike Thai basil, which is quite attractive, especially when in flower and especially if you're a bee, holy basil looks like a weed. (But then so does epazote, that quintessential Mexican herb.) 

CURRY OF CHICKEN, SNAKE BEANS & HOLY BASIL

TARAMASALATA

2 TAILOR OR MULLET ROE (APPROX 140 GMS)
SUGAR
JASMINE TEA LEAVES
RICE
2 THICK SLICES OF SOURDOUGH BREAD
1 1/2 LEMONS
1 CLOVE GARLIC
75 MLS MILK
500 MLS VEGETABLE OIL (SUCH AS GRAPESEED, CORN OR CANOLA)

Line a wok with foil. Place a few tablespoons each of rice grains, sugar and tea leaves in the bottom. Place over wok burner on medium heat until the mix starts smoking. Line a bamboo steaming basket with wax paper (leaving a small gap around the perimeter), place the fresh roe in the basket. Add lide and place over the smoking mix. Turn down the heat a little and smoke the roe for about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Meanwhile, break the bread into chunks, place in a bowl and add the milk. Mix so that most of the bread is damp. When cool, peel the roe and crumble it into a food processor. Add the bread/milk mix, the crushed garlic clove and the juice from the lemons. Purée this, then gradually add the oil until it is fully incorporated into the other ingredients. This will keep for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

TARAMASALATA

OCEAN TROUT WITH TARAMASALATA AND BABY BEETROOTS

If your only experience with taramasalata is the acidic pink stuff in tubs in supermarkets, then a traditional version might shock you. OK, shock is extreme. A live power cable would shock you. So this will come as a surprise. I will post a recipe - not traditional but really, really tasty. The smokiness of the taramasalata, the sweetness of the beetroots and the tang of a beetroot vinegar all worked nicely with this great piece of ocean trout.

OCEAN TROUT WITH TARAMASALATA AND BABY BEETROOTS

SALAD OF POACHED CHICKEN, SNAKE BEANS & ASPARAGUS WITH ROAST GARLIC AIOLI

Simple as a bogan. Poached chicken with steamed snake beans and asparagus, a decent olive oil (Joseph First Run) and lemon juice and a generous dollop of aïoli.

SALAD OF POACHED CHICKEN, SNAKE BEANS & ASPARAGUS WITH ROAST GARLIC AIOLI

JAMON SERRANO SALAD

Great things come out of the mountains. Serrano chillies - one of my favourites. Serrano ham - which in turn reminds me of Penelope Cruz's breasts and a giant metal bull with testicles that squeaked as they swayed in the breeze ... I guess you had to see the movie. Very basic salad elevated - if not to the top floor, then maybe the mezzanine - by ribbons of jamón serrano.

JAMON SERRANO SALAD

REEF COD WITH CHICKPEA SALAD

Ever seen fish wink? I have. Yes, I know that biologists say they can't but I reckon they can. And they do. Often. This afternoon, this reef cod winked at me. I did what any red-blooded man would do. I took it home. Simply pan fried in a little grape seed oil. A bed of chickpeas, coriander and mint. A green salad with ribbons of jamón serrano.

REEF COD WITH CHICKPEA SALAD