The Complete New Zealand Seafood Cookbook

Coconut and chilli seafood parcels

Serves 4 | Recipe by Petra New This easy yet delicious marinade serves all seafood well. Let your imagination go wild — a combination parcel always feels a little indulgent.

• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1cm fresh ginger, grated
• 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
• 400ml can coconut cream
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• Juice of 1 lime
• ¼ cup chopped fresh coriander
• Cooking spray
• 2 squid tubes, sliced
• 4 × 100g fish fillets, boned, skin on
• 12 large mussels, cleaned
• 8 pipi, purged
• 12 scallops
• ¼ red onion, sliced
• 4 cups steamed jasmine rice, to serve

1. In a jug mix together garlic, ginger, sweet chilli sauce, coconut cream, fish sauce, lime juice and coriander.
2. Lay out four large pieces of tin foil (big enough to hold all seafood) and top each with a piece of baking paper slightly smaller than the foil. Spray with non-stick spray.
3. Arrange squid on the paper, then top with fish. Top this with remaining seafood. Sprinkle the sliced red onion over seafood, then pour over coconut cream mix.
4. Bring together two sides of the foil and fold. Repeat, making a double fold, then fold over the other ends twice as well. This makes sure neither the steam nor the cooking juices escape.
5. Place parcels on the flat plate of a barbecue on medium–high heat and cook with hood down for four to six minutes.
6. To serve, break open the middle of each parcel, pushing the sides away to expose the seafood. Serve with rice.

Fish burgers

Serves 4 | Recipe by Colin Doyle Fresh grilled fish fillets are the star in these burgers, which combine peppery rocket with a rich garlic aioli and crunchy pickled onions. Serve with some potato wedges for a nice twist on fish and chips.

• 1 medium red onion
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp ground sumac (optional)
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• Aioli
• 2 cloves garlic
• Salt
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 100ml light olive oil
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp capers, finely chopped
• 4 fresh ciabatta buns
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 4 × 120g white fish fillets (e.g. gurnard, tarakihi, snapper or hoki)
• 100g baby rocket
• 1 ripe tomato, sliced

1. Thinly slice red onion and place in a non-reactive bowl. Sprinkle with salt, sumac (if using) and lemon juice. Set aside until ready to assemble burgers.
2. Preheat oven to grill 220°C.
3. Prepare aioli by crushing garlic with a little salt using a mortar and pestle or in a food processor. Transfer garlic purée to a small bowl. Add egg yolk and mustard and beat with a whisk until pale and frothy. Slowly add olive oil, at the beginning drop by drop, not adding more until the previous addition is fully incorporated. When all the oil is added and aioli is thick, mix in lemon juice and chopped capers.
4. Slice buns and place under the grill for a few minutes to lightly toast.
5. Season fish fillets and grill or fry over medium heat for three minutes per side or until done (depending on thickness of fillet).
6. To serve, spread a little aioli on each half of the toasted buns and then assemble the burger with rocket, a slice of tomato, fish fillet and a pile of onions.

Whole snapper steamed with ginger, basil and chilli

Serves 4 | Recipe by Petra New Steaming is a fantastic way to cook whole fish, as it locks in the moisture.

• • 2 small – medium whole snapper, scaled and gutted
  • 2cm piece ginger, grated
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • ½ long red chilli, deseeded (optional) and chopped
  • 1 lemon, sliced
  • ½ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped

Sauce

• • • • 1 tsp peanut oil
      • 2 small shallots
      • 1cm piece ginger, grated
      • ½ long red chilli, deseeded (optional) and chopped
      • 3 tbsp soy sauce
      • 3 tbsp fish sauce
      • 1 cup chicken stock
      • 1 tbsp palm sugar
      • 1 tsp cornflour
      • ¼ cup fresh basil leaves
      • 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves
      1. Wipe inside and outside of each fish with a damp tea towel to remove any scales and blood that may still be on fish.
      2. Make three deep score marks on both sides of each fish to allow it to cook more evenly and the flavours to penetrate the fish while cooking.
      3. Rub ginger, garlic and chilli into the outside flesh.
      4. Fill cavity with lemon slices and half the basil, and scatter remaining basil over fish.
      5. Place fish into a steamer half filled with water on a medium – high heat steam for at least 10 – 15 minutes, depending on the size of the fish. Test it by pulling a little away from the bone — it should come away without resistance.
      6. To make sauce, heat peanut oil in a small pot on medium heat and stir-fry shallots untiljust soft. Add ginger and chilli, continuing to stir until fragrant.
      7. Mix soy and fish sauce, stock and palm sugar together, keeping one tablespoon aside to mix with the cornflour. Add to the pot and bring to the boil. Mix reserved sauce with cornflour and use to slightly thicken the sauce. Simmer for three minutes on a low – medium heat.
      8. Just before serving, add whole basil leaves to wilt and then coriander.
      9. To serve, place whole fish onto one large serving platter and pour over sauce.

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