Cairns park croc shock

SERVES 6. PREP 25 MINS. COOK 45 MINS INGREDIENTS

CROCODILE warning signs have been erected beside a creek in a popular off-leash dog park smack bang in the middle of Cairns suburbia.

Mooroobool residents have been shocked to find a sign stuck to a power pole warning that a crocodile had been reported at the Irene Street dog park within the past week.

The sign is beside the Irene St flood plain – a tributary system that feeds into Chinaman Creek downstream and eventually leads to Trinity Inlet.

A Department of Environment and Science spokesman said a site inspection was conducted after a dog was injured in a suspected crocodile attack while swimming in the flooded drain.

The waterway is 5km from the ocean as the crow flies – but Deputy Mayor Terry James said crocodiles had proven their ability to travel long distances through difficult terrain.

If the dog’s injuries were the result of a crocodile bite, Cr James said the reptile needed to be shifted.

“It doesn’t belong in the middle of suburbia,” he said.

The report follows a recent spate of human-crocodile interactions with three attacks in the space of two weeks, including the death of Cairns yachtie Andy Heard while fishing off Hinchinbrook Island.

• 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil

• 2 bacon rashers, chopped

• 2 leeks, thinly sliced

• 2 garlic cloves

• 1/4 (about 300g) roughly chopped cauliflower, stalks included

• 500g firm white fish (such as ling or blue eye), cut into large pieces

• 1/4 cup (35g) plain flour

• 2 tbs finely chopped dill

• 2 tbs finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

• 1 cup (250g) sour cream

• 2/3 cup (165ml) milk

• 375g frozen all-butter puff pastry, thawed

METHOD

1 Heat oil in non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add bacon and leek, cook, stirring, for 15 minutes or until leek softened. Add garlic, stir to combine. Add cauliflower, stir to coat. Set aside to cool slightly.

2 Place fish, flour, herbs in bowl, stir until combined. Season. Whisk sour cream, milk in separate bowl, add to fish mix with cooled leek mix, stir to combine. Preheat oven to 200°C. Place fish mix in 6-cup (1.5L) ovenproof dish, drape pastry over top. Cut few holes to allow steam out or score pastry for decorative effect.

3 Bake 40-50 minutes or until pastry golden and cooked through. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.