Chef Fast Ed Halmagyi says think of the environment and cook mackerel

THIS week chef Ed Halmagyi talks about climate change and the implications of Donald Trump becoming US president. He provides a curried mackerel recipe as an example of sustainable eating.

Fast Ed provides a recipe for curry-baked mackerel.

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THE environment just got Trumped, leaving a gloomy and troubling shadow over our world.

It is a broad and pervasive darkness that will last at least four years.

For many progressively minded people, the American president-elect’s design to roll back climate protection as one of his first acts of government is devastating.

It took almost three decades to get the world’s community of governments attuned to the stark realities facing us.

And yet, this is the new world in which we find ourselves. But do not despair, and do not allow the prospect of a rollback to dissuade you from the truth.

The planet needs us to be its guardian, all the more so if a key player is to renege on that responsibility.

US president elect Donald Trump does not believe in climate change. Picture: AP Photo/Evan Vucci

Fast Ed believes in climate change and big bits of meat.

Here are four simple things you can do in your everyday life to help the future of this planet.

■ Reduce your overall consumption. With nearly seven billion people on Earth, we are stripping more resources from the planet than it can sustain.

■ Reduce your waste. In terms of food, remember that the average Australian family wastes one-third of all the food it purchases, and a further 15 per cent is wasted in distribution and storage. That’s right — half of all the food we produce becomes waste. This has to stop.

■ Sign up for a green energy plan. Yes, it will cost a fraction more, but as more Australians participate, the overall rates will fall under market pressure.

■ Eat more plant-based foods, and if you are going to eat meat and fish, look at some of the less-invasive, less-damaging, more sustainable species. In Australia’s oceans, for example, there are many highly sustainable alternative species of fish that make for delicious meals.

You may just need to rethink your techniques from time to time.

CURRY-BAKED MACKEREL RECIPE

Ingredients: serves 8

1. . 1 whole school mackerel (about 2kg), cleaned and gutted
2. . sea salt flakes and freshly-milled black pepper
3. . 2 sticks lemongrass, finely chopped
4. . 8cm piece ginger, grated
5. . 4 cloves garlic, minced
6. . ¼ cup red curry paste
7. . ½ bunch coriander leaves, chopped
8. . 1 Tbsp fish sauce
9. . 1 Tbsp soy sauce
10. . ½ cup breadcrumbs
11. . mint and lime wedges, to serve

IN OTHER NEWS — Five cooking essentials for every kitchen

TO ACHIEVE all your cooking goals and to keep your kitchen organised, you’ll want to have these essentials on hand. These are the must-haves that you can then add to as you need.