Aussie fish: from john dory to barra, state of origin matters
When it comes to seafood, Australian states and territories can get very parochial about their favourites.
One of the most exciting aspects of Australian seafood is its regional diversity. I mean, a cow is a cow whether it’s mooing in Ballarat or Ballina; a pig is a pig whether it’s grunting in Bundaberg or Broome; a chicken is a chicken whether scratching around in Bridgewater or Batemans Bay; but a fish in Shark Bay will be vastly different from a fish in Port Phillip Bay.
It’s just one of the reasons seafood is often a very local food. Which other protein can offer such a broad culinary landscape?
Here in Australia we are blessed with some of the most diverse waters on the planet.
Covering all five marine zones from tropical to Antarctic, our nearly 8.5 million square kilometres of exclusive waters are home to an incredible array of seafood wonders.
Of the more than 5000 known species of fish found in our waters, nearly a quarter are endemic, their flavour and texture influenced by “marroir” (my term for the marine equivalent of terroir).
No surprise, then, that every state in Australia has its own parochial, piscatorial champions: from the mythical and mighty barramundi of the Northern Territory to the exotic and rare striped trumpeter from the south of Tasmania, locals often claim that their special fish is the best in the country.
More fierce than any rugby league or Australian football battle, this state-of-origin seafood favouritism is such that a species particularly favoured in one state will seldom be seen on a plate in another state.
In our search for a defining, regional Australian cuisine, we would do well to start with our local seafood heroes.
NSW: JOHN DORY. A highly prized species found throughout the world, the fish that bears the mythical thumbprint of St Peter is, to many New South Welshmen, the taste of Sydney. Its fine-grained, sweet and iodine-intense flesh is a bit like many Sydneysiders: rich, decadent and often found at the centre of a memorable night out.
QUEENSLAND: CORAL TROUT. The almost clown-like appearance of Queenslanders’ favourite fish invites comparisons with the personality of the sunshine state. An exuberant exterior gives way to superb eating qualities, the trout’s scalloping, broad flake and mild, intensely sweet-flavoured flesh making it adaptable to many cuisines. Annoyingly for locals, the coral trout has become a favourite with the Asian market and visitors from southern states, making it a rare sight at Pauline’s chipper.
VICTORIA: DUSKY FLATHEAD. Of the 40 or so species of flathead found across the country, it is the dusky flathead (sometimes referred to as black flathead) from the estuarine lakes and bays of Victoria that makes those living south of the Murray swoon. Rich and complex in flavour, with a broad scalloping flesh, the dusky flathead is, like many Melburnians, just as much at home at the Flower Drum as it is wrapped in newspaper and covered in batter on St Kilda Pier.
WESTERN AUSTRALIA: DHUFISH. The legendary piscatorial hero of the west is rarely seen east of the Simpson Desert. With an unbelievably deep, rich flavour and broad scalloping flesh, the dhufish is quite happy having king-like status in its domain, entirely appropriate for a state that keeps threatening to secede.
TASMANIA: STRIPED TRUMPETER. In the deep, dark south lives a fish almost as rare and mythical as the Tasmanian tiger. With a luscious, fatty flesh, bright seaweed notes and pearly white flesh, the “stripy” enjoys almost the legendary status of Bob Brown in Tassie and doesn’t seem to care if it’s never seen on the mainland. It’s regarded — with some justification — by many Taswegian chefs as one of the greatest eating fish to be found anywhere in the world.
NORTHERN TERRITORY: BARRAMUNDI. When Paul Hogan’s alter ego Crocodile Dundee first made the crack about what it takes to be a Territorian, I’m sure he had barramundi on his mind. Like many of the locals, this fish appears to be lazy and relaxed, quite happy lolling around a lagoon, river or bay, but the explosive power and fighting status of both local and fish are legendary. The deep umami-rich flavour and soft, yielding texture of a new-season wild barramundi is a bit like the barefoot mud crab-tying competition at the old Lims/ Nightcliff hotel: truly unforgettable.
John Susman is a seafood marketer.
SOUTH AUSTRALIA: KING GEORGE WHITING. Although it is found throughout southern Australia, South Australians will tell you emphatically that it is the king george whiting from the Yorke Peninsula that should take pride of place, centre of plate, at the Adelaide Club. Its sweet iodine zing and delicate flesh is the perfect accompaniment to the finest twin set and pearls, and it is priced accordingly.