AYE AYE, CAPTAIN!
Captain Moonlite on Victoria’s Surf Coast serves fresh, seasonal fare with ocean views to match. Here, chef MATT GERMANCHIS shares his ultimate summer menu.
At Captain Moonlite there’s fresh, seasonal fare with ocean views to match.
It would be hard to find a restaurant with better coastal views than Captain Moonlite. It’s perched above the beach in the Anglesea Surf Lifesaving Club on Victoria’s Surf Coast, so it’s not surprising the menu is heavily influenced by the sea. So, too, are the recipes
Matt Germanchis, chef and co-owner of Captain Moonlite with his partner Gemma Gange, has created for this month’s issue.
“I wanted to reflect what summer is about for me,” he says. “These recipes reflect how I like to eat at home and that means chilled prawns, barbecue-spiced sardines and steamed snapper – dishes using seafood that’s both delicious and sustainable.”
Germanchis is a believer in using local fish so it doesn’t have to travel too far and reaches the table in its prime.
“It’s pretty easy to get your hands on local fish these days,” he says. “You just have to educate yourself a bit, ask a few questions. It’s always a good idea to develop a relationship with your fishmonger. Get to know them and they’ll tell you when the best fish is due in and when it’s in peak condition.”
All the seafood in these recipes has been chosen because it’s at its best in summer.
“The flavour and texture of fish changes with the seasons,” says Germanchis. “And that’s why I’ve gone for the rock flathead. It’s my favourite fish and the king of flatheads as far as I’m concerned. The fish feeds on crustaceans and so has beautiful meaty flesh that holds up well to flavoursome sauces.”
For the flathead recipe, Germanchis wraps the fish in bull kelp he sources from nearby beaches. The kelp acts like a salt crust but with an added layer of oceanic flavour. If you don’t have a beach nearby that has spare bull kelp lying around, kombu – available from Asian grocery stores – makes a great substitute. Germanchis gives a big rap to sardines, too. “Every taverna in Greece serves sardines, simply grilled and served with a squeeze of lemon or perhaps with aïoli,” he says. “I love the flavour and the simplicity of the sardine, and how butterflying them is so easy – you don’t even need a knife. You can do the deboning with your fingers.
“You want things to be simple and delicious in summer; not too much fuss – and that’s what these recipes are all about.”
Captain Moonlite, 100 Great Ocean Rd, Anglesea, Vic, (03) 5263 2454, captainmoonlite.com.au
“You want things to be simple and delicious in summer – and that’s what these recipes are all about.”