Dive into our seafood

IN A land girt by sea it’s easy to love fish. After all, under the waves we have more than 4000 species to choose from, most of which are edible. That said, only 100 or so of these make up the bulk of our commercial catch.

But far from the ocean fishermen are hard at work. In rivers, lakes and dams, equally impressive species are on offer. Just not as many of them.

In fact we harvest barely a handful of finned freshwater fish, augmented by a smattering of crustacea.

Rainbow trout, silver perch, Murray cod and freshwater barramundi are the only significant commercial industries, while there is also some recreational catch of Australian bass, golden perch and brown trout that may end up in local markets.

Yabbies, marrons and a variety of inland crayfish make up the remainder.

There are significant culinary differences between freshwater and saltwater seafood. Where ocean species are briny, light and sweet, those from the rivers tend to be more mild, soft-textured and their flavour is critically dependant on river flows, water quality and diet.

Where sea fish are relatively consistent, inland species can range from muddy-flavoured and chalky to crisp and sweet.

If it has been a while since you last cooked freshwater fish, it’s worth taking another look. They respond particularly well to gentle approaches – grilled, steamed or in soups. Their mild flavour means they are often more likely to be a hit with younger diners.

River species are well-suited to many of the less well-known European cuisines and a range of traditional Asian recipes.

The best tip for perfecting freshwater fish is to salt the fillets for at least five minutes before cooking to firm them up and remove and muddy taste.

HUNGARIAN FISH SOUP

serves / 4

Ingredients

4 plate-sized fish (freshwater fish are best)

1 tbsp fine salt

1½ tbsp paprika

2 brown onions, chopped

1 stick celery, chopped

2 fresh bay leaves

4L water

4 red Hungarian peppers

2 tomatoes, blanched, skinned and diced

1 green capsicum, finely sliced ½ bunch dill, chopped Cracked pepper and sour cream, to serve

Method

Fillet and skin the fish, reserving all trimmings. Sprinkle the fillets with fine salt and refrigerate until needed.

Combine the fish trimmings, paprika, onions, celery, bay leaves and water in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer, then cook for 1 hour, until aromatic and reduced to 3L. Strain through a fine sieve into a second saucepan.

Finely dice three Hungarian peppers and place in the soup with the tomatoes and fish then cook gently for five minutes, until the fish is just firm. Finely slice the remaining Hungarian pepper. Top the soup with sliced capsicum and dill, then serve with sour cream and pepper.

THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT CULINARY DIFFERENCES BETWEEN FRESHWATER AND SALTWATER SEAFOOD.