Seafood bible

Written by the most respected authorities on seafood in Australia, Fish and Seafood Cookbook contains all you need to know about selecting and preparing over 60 types of fish and seafood, including catching methods, notes on sustainability, flavour profiles and cooking guidelines.

More than 130 recipes showcase the delicious potential of the vast array of seafood available, and clear step-by-step photography illustrating the key techniques takes all the guesswork out of cooking seafood at home.

The book is as beautiful as it is informative, and will become the benchmark reference for anyone interested in cooking and eating fish and seafood.

John Susman is Australia’s preeminent providore of seafood, supplying the country’s best restaurants. Anthony Huckstep is a restaurant reviewer, former chef and cookbook author. Stephen Hodges is regarded by many in the food industry as Australia’s best seafood chef. Sarah Swan is a chef and recipe developer who worked for Neil Perry’s Rockpool Group for 14 years.

Ling burger with pickled cucumberIngredients:

Vegetable oil, for deep-frying1 egg2 teaspoons milk80g rice flour25g panko (Japanese-style) breadcrumbs4 × 120g ling fillets, skin removed, pin-boned4 brioche buns, cut in half horizontally8 baby cos (romaine) lettuce leaves2 whole pickled onions, sliced into rings2 pickled cucumbers, thinly sliced lengthways100g tartare sauce

Method:

Half-fill a medium saucepan with vegetable oil and place over high heat. Heat the oil to 180°C (350°C)?– check with an oil thermometer.In a large, shallow bowl, whisk the egg and milk together to make an egg wash. Place the rice flour in another bowl and the panko breadcrumbs in a third. Dust each ling fillet in the rice flour first, then dip it in the egg wash and, lastly, the breadcrumbs.Tap off any excess crumbs and lower the ling fillets carefully into the hot oil. Fry the ling for about 2 minutes, or until crisp and golden. Remove from the saucepan and drain on a baking tray lined with paper towel.Place the bottom half of each brioche bun on a tray. Add two lettuce leaves to each and top with the fried fish. Add the pickled onion rings, pickled cucumber and tartare sauce, then place the other brioche half on top and serve.Notes: For this much fish, it’s safe to use a 6 litre saucepan. When deep-frying in a saucepan, it’s advisable to keep the oil level a good 10 cm below the rim of the pan. The other option for deep-frying is, of course, an electric deep-fryer. The used oil can be strained, cooled and refrigerated for later use.To test the temperature of the oil, drop a cube of bread into it. If it turns golden in 15 seconds, it’s sitting perfectly on 180°C. If the bread takes only 10 seconds to turn golden, then the oil is around 190°C . If it takes 20–30 seconds to brown, the oil is too cold. Be patient and get the oil to the correct temperature before proceeding.Serves fourCourtesy of Australian Fish and Seafood Cookbook. Published by Murdoch Books. RRP $79.99