David Herbert’s King George whiting, scallops with fried breadcrumbs

King George whiting: it’s the taste of South Australia.

King George whiting. Picture: Guy Bailey. Styling: David Morgan

I have many delicious memories of trips to South Australia: a lunch of crayfish and pheasant at Maggie Beer's Pheasant Farm, my first taste of King George whiting and a lunch of local scallops with crunchy breadcrumbs. The scallop recipe here, adapted from a favourite by Greg Malouf, has Middle Eastern flavours and features olives, another South Australian specialty. Use bamboo skewers soaked in water for 30 minutes or so to prevent burning.

King George whiting, with olive oil, lemon, tomato & basil

4 King George whiting fillets, skin on, bones removed

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 knob butter

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For the sauce

100g cherry tomatoes, chopped

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 teaspoon small capers, drained

Juice of ½ lemon

100ml extra-virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon ground coriander seed

Handful of basil leaves, torn

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Season fillets and cut several slashes into the skin of each one. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large frying pan over high heat. Add the fillets, skin-side down; cook for 3 minutes, then turn and cook the other side for 1-2 minutes, until the flesh is opaque and flakes easily when tested with a fork. Remove and keep warm. For the sauce, put the tomatoes and shallot in a pan with the capers, lemon juice, oil and ground coriander; season. Warm through for 2 minutes, then stir in some basil, reserving a little to garnish. Place fish on plates, spoon sauce over the top and scatter with basil leaves. Serves 4

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Scallops with fried breadcrumbs. Picture: Guy Bailey

Scallops with fried breadcrumbs

1 cup fresh breadcrumbs

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

10 large black olives, pitted and finely chopped

1 tablespoon chopped capers

1 teaspoon ground or crushed sumac

2 tablespoons roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley

Finely grated zest 1 lemon

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, for cooking

24 scallops

Lemon wedges, to serve

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Preheat oven to 180C (fan). Scatter breadcrumbs on a baking tray and drizzle with 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil. Toss well to coat, then place in oven and toast for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they become crunchy. Remove and stir through chopped olives, capers, sumac, parsley and lemon zest. Thread three scallops each onto eight pre-soaked skewers, leaving a little space between each scallop. Heat a little of the extra oil in a frypan over high heat. Carefully place half the scallops in the pan, season with salt and pepper and let them sit for 30 seconds. Turn them over and cook for a further 30 seconds, by which time they should be nearly cooked through. Remove from pan and cook the second batch of scallops in the same way. Wipe the pan out and return to the heat; tip in breadcrumb mixture and saute for a minute until the crumbs are heated through. Return scallops to pan and cook with crumbs for a final 30 seconds. Serve immediately with wedges of lemon, garnished with extra chopped parsley, if desired. Serves 4