FISHY BUSINESS

Sydney’s ground-breaking seafood chef Josh Niland shares recipes and tips in his cookbook, The Whole Fish

It’s true to say that Josh Niland is becoming something of a seafood superstar. His award-winning fish-centric restaurant St Peter, named after the patron saint of fishermen, in Sydney’s Paddington came first in 2016, when his fish degustation became famous. It was then followed by Australia’s first Fish Butchery right next door, where Josh champions his philosophy of cooking with the entire fish – or ‘fin-to-fin’ as he likes to call it. He really does have a recipe for every part of the fish and is all about locally sourced, sustainable seafood.

Josh’s new book, The Whole Fish, showcases his approach – understanding there’s more to a fish than just the fillet. And while it does go into fish-butchery basics, the heart of the book celebrates his delicious combinations of fresh ingredients, such as sorrel and verjuice, and tahini and lemon yoghurt. Dive in!

fried whitebait SERVES 4

2L (8 cups) canola or grapeseed oil, for deep-frying 480g whitebait (sandy sprats), de-sanded 200g (1 cup) fine rice flour Sea salt flakes 1½ teaspoons ground black pepper ½ teaspoon ground Sichuan pepper 1/8 teaspoon ground juniper berries

1 Heat the oil in a large saucepan until it reaches 180°C. 2 If a charcoal barbecue or gas-burning barbecue is accessible, use this for the second part of the cooking. This is an optional additional method of cookery, but one that elevates the flavour of the whitebait. Light the barbecue.

3 Place half the whitebait in a coarse sieve and add enough rice flour to lightly coat. Shake the sieve to remove the excess flour, then repeat with the other half of the fish. Tip a small batch of the dusted whitebait carefully into the hot oil and deep-fry for 45 seconds. Remove and drain on paper towel. Season well with salt. Repeat until all the whitebait is fried, then arrange them on a wire rack. Position this rack over the hottest part of the grill and, using a spoon, toss the whitebait around so that the outside of the fish chars and colours evenly.

4 Transfer the fish to a bowl and season liberally with the pepper, Sichuan pepper, ground juniper berries and more salt. Serve immediately as a snack with mayonnaise and a lemon wedge.

greenback flounder in verjuice & sorrel SERVES 4

2 x 500g greenback flounder, gutted and scaled 120ml extra-virgin olive oil Sea salt flakes 120ml verjuice 130g (1 cup) large leaf sorrel, sliced

1 Light a charcoal barbecue. Make sure the grill is hot and charcoal has cooked down to embers. Alternatively, light a gas barbecue.

2 Brush the flounder with a little olive oil all over the skin and season well with sea salt. Grill the flounders directly on the grill rack on the white side (or bottom side) for 4 minutes, then turn over and cook for a further 4 minutes, or until the internal temperature on the bone reaches 60°C on a probe thermometer.

3 Pour the remaining olive oil and verjuice onto a flat baking tray and warm the tray on the side of the grill. Transfer flounder to the warm tray and leave to rest off the heat for 5 minutes.

4 Position the flounder, white side up, on a flat plate. Return the baking tray to the grill and, using a whisk, mix the fish juices into the verjuice and olive oil, then spoon over the fish. Finish with sorrel leaves.

“My philosophy with fish is to minimise waste and maximise flavour. The two key tools that I use to achieve this are whole fish cookery and dry-ageing” JOSH

poached hapuka, artichokes & garlic mayonnaise SERVES 6

6 x 180g hapuka, bass grouper or bar cod fillets, skin on and pin-boned

BARIGOULE

1 tablespoon coriander seeds ½ tablespoon fennel seeds ½ tablespoon black peppercorns 1 fresh bay leaf 4 thyme sprigs 300ml extra-virgin olive oil ½ onion, finely sliced ½ carrot, finely sliced ½ celery heart stalk, finely sliced ½ garlic bulb 500ml (2 cups) dry white wine 500ml (2 cups) water 1kg Jerusalem artichokes, halved

GARLIC MAYONNAISE

2 egg yolks ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard 2 teaspoons white-wine vinegar Fine salt 250ml (1 cup) grapeseed oil Juice of ½ lemon 3 garlic cloves, finely grated

TO SERVE (OPTIONAL)

½ bunch each French tarragon, flat-leaf (Italian) parsley

and chervil, leaves picked 3 sorrel leaves, sliced ½ bunch dill, sprigs picked

1 For the barigoule, tie the spices and herbs together in a muslin cloth (cheesecloth) to make a bouquet garni.

2 Heat the olive oil in a large, wide-based saucepan and cook the onion, carrot, celery and garlic for 7 minutes until tender, without colouring. Add the wine and bouquet garni and bring to the boil. Add the water and return to the boil, then set aside.

3 For the mayonnaise, place the egg yolks, mustard, vinegar and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Continue whisking, slowly drizzling in the grapeseed oil to form a thick emulsion. Add the lemon juice and garlic. It should be the thickness of softly whipped cream; adjust with a little warm water if needed. Set aside.

4 Place 500ml (2 cups) of the barigoule liquid and the cooked vegetables in a large saucepan and set aside. Place remaining barigoule liquid in a large, heavy-based lidded pan and bring to the boil. Add artichokes and cook until tender. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

5 Turn off the heat, add the fish, cover and set aside for 7–8 minutes until the flesh is just opaque. Carefully transfer the fish to a plate and gently peel away the skin.

6 Bring the reserved 500ml (2 cups) barigoule liquid and all the vegetables, including the artichokes, to a simmer, then spoon over the fish. Add a generous tablespoon of the mayonnaise and serve with the fresh herbs, if using.

Notes Traditionally a barigoule is used to poach and preserve artichokes. This stock has a generous layer of oil on top of it, but don’t discard as it acts as a vinaigrette for the dish. The aromatics and vegetables also make a beautiful garnish for the finished dish.

tommy ruff, macadamia tahini & lemon yoghurt SERVES 4

4 small broccolini stems 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Sea salt flakes 4 butterflied Tommy ruff (herring) Lemon juice, to taste

LEMON YOGHURT

1 lemon, preferably Meyer 250g (1 cup) natural yoghurt, plus extra if necessary Sea salt flakes

MACADAMIA TAHINI

250g (1½ cups) macadamia nuts

1 Heat a small charcoal grill, gas barbecue or chargrill pan for grilling the fish. (For the best result, I suggest a charcoal grill.)

2 To make the lemon yoghurt, use a small knife to prick small holes over the lemon, then add to a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and cook for 5 minutes. Drain the lemon and repeat this process two more times. This will result in the lemon being very soft and nearly all the bitterness of the pith will have been removed. Cut the lemon in half and remove the seeds, then blitz in a blender until very smooth. Transfer to a bowl and cover with baking paper to prevent a skin forming. Refrigerate until chilled. 3 Mix chilled purée with the yoghurt and a pinch of salt. Set aside. 4 For the tahini, preheat the oven to 160°C. Roast the macadamias on a baking tray for 15 minutes, or until a light tan colour. Transfer to a Thermomix set to 70°C; blend for 10 minutes until completely smooth. Alternatively, blitz in a blender with a little warm water.

5 Brush the broccolini stems with a little olive oil and season with salt. Grill over a medium– high heat for 2 minutes, or until tender. Finely cut the stems into small discs while stopping short of the florets and set aside.

6 Brush the fish skin with a little oil and salt, then grill, skin side down, over a high heat for 2 minutes, being careful not to burn the skin. When the fish is 70 per cent cooked, remove from the rack and fold over so the fillets are sandwiched together.

7 To serve, place a spoonful of the tahini in the centre of a plate and a spoonful of the lemon yoghurt inside. Brush the broccolini with a little more oil and season with lemon juice. Place a pile of the cut stems and small florets on top of the sauces, then add the fish alongside.

“Tommy ruff (or Australian herring) has a very clean, briny flavour and is full of good oils. It’s a perfect fish for the grill” JOSH

POACHED HAPUKA, ARTICHOKES & GARLIC MAYONNAISE “As an apprentice I would eat out in Sydney’s restaurants as frequently as I could, and whole paycheques at times would be blown on extravagant meals. During that time of exploration, one of the best dishes I tried was a simple poached kingfish with artichokes cooked in sauce barigoule at the wonderful restaurant Bistrode. Here is my interpretation of that wonderful plate of food.” Recipe, page 146.

FRIED WHITEBAIT “This is a simple snack that we like having on the menu at Fish Butchery. It requires very little work, though I have suggested removing the whitebait from the fryer and finishing cooking over a charcoal grill as it adds a savoury smoky flavour and will help the fish stay crisper for longer. Always check whitebait before serving to friends as they can carry sand in their gills and scales, which is unnoticeable to the eye.”

GREENBACK FLOUNDER IN VERJUICE & SORREL “I have the privilege of working with fisherman Bruce Collis of Corner Inlet in Victoria. His fish are truly unrivalled. Greenback flounder are remarkable, but yellowbelly flounder, sole or turbot are excellent substitutes.”

This is an edited extract from The Whole Fish by Josh Niland, published by Hardie Grant Books. It costs $55 and is available in stores nationally.

TOMMY RUFF, MACADAMIA TAHINI & LEMON YOGHURT “The richness of Australia’s favourite nut, the macadamia, and the acidity and floral aroma of lemon yoghurt complement this beautiful underused species of fish.”