Instructions
The Eyre Peninsula in South Australia is rightly known as our nation’s seafood frontier. From Whyalla in the north down to Port Lincoln in the south this expansive triangle is the heartland of our fishing industry.
Tuna, kingfish, mussels, scallops, clams, prawns, whiting. And the snapper, oh that beautiful snapper. While most of the other industries have developed into innovative aquaculture, snapper fishing is still a wild harvest.
The South Australian pink snapper (one of 100 species of snapper known throughout the world) breeds in the deep waters south of the peninsula, then spends its mature life grazing on crabs and molluscs throughout the Spencer Gulf. Many fish live as long as 20 years reaching truly enormous sizes. In fact, at last year’s Australian snapper contest a New Zealand competitor bagged a 35kg monster, setting a new local record.
Of course it’s not just people who prize the snapper. Dangerous Reef near Port Lincoln is the primary breeding ground of Australia’s great white sharks and they regard snapper as a juicy treat. Who said sharks were dumb?
Snapper is easy to cook (but also easy to overcook) and is best served with a well-crisped skin. To get a restaurant quality crispy skin on your fish start by choosing really fresh fish. As fish ages its natural sugars break down turning into liquids. It is the caramelisation of these sugars that will make the skin crisp. Next, scrape across the fillet’s skin from top to bottom using a knife. This will remove any excess moisture content. Lastly, score the skin in fine parallel cuts using a very sharp knife. This opens the skin allowing the heat to penetrate more effectively. It also helps prevent the fillet from curling when it hits the pan. Cook the fish skin down in ghee (clarified butter) using a non-stick pan over a medium heat. Once the fillet is half cooked, turn it over then baste with some unsalted butter.
All that butter is not real healthy, but it eats magnificently! A little indulgence worthy of this supreme bit of fish.
Crispy-skinned snapper with caper salsa