Tag Archives: Cooking our catch

Mackerel Cutlets with Tomato, Olive and Caper Salsa

November 10, 2014 The Captain & the Cook 3 Comments

This meal was made with a fresh catch while we were anchored at Hope Island, on the Great Barrier Reef. It was a few days out of Cairns and we still had some fresh vegetables from our shopping trip that we needed to use. The green beans were on their last days so, as it often happens on a boat, what we decided to cook for dinner was determined by the veg we had and what needed to be eaten first.

Dwayne caught, cleaned and cut the spanish mackerel into cutlets. He then barbequed the cutlets while I made a salsa.

For the salsa I diced tomato, kalamata olives, red onion, anchovy, chilli, capers and added a little olive oil.

The beans, which were begging to be cooked, were blanched in boiling water for a minute or two and set aside. I sautéed a little garlic in butter and tossed the beans and some chopped pistachio nuts through it.

We enjoyed a delicious meal of BBQ mackerel topped with the salsa and served with the beans on the side. We love mackerel… don’t think we’ll ever get sick of it!

Cooking Our Catch, Crustacean

Crayfish Salad with Thai-Style Dressing

October 28, 2014 The Captain & the Cook 1 Comment

While anchored in Darwin Harbour, with supermarkets nearby, I decided to do a romantic dinner for Dwayne. For an entree, I made crayfish salad using a crayfish we caught in the Great Barrier Reef. It is very simple but looks great!

This is what I did…

I made a salad dressing by mixing

3 Tbs of coconut cream
2 Tbs lime juice
1 Tbs soy sauce
2 tsp fish sauce
2 tsp brown sugar

I refrigerated until I was ready to use it.

I prepared a small packet of vermicelli noodles by soaking them in boiling water. I drained them well and mixed some of the salad dressing through them. I refrigerated the noodles until I was ready to make my salad stacks.

I shredded carrot, lettuce and snow peas, then chopped some coriander and sliced some tomato.

I stacked the vegetables firmly into a mould, beginning with the noodles and topping it off with the tomato and coriander.

I removed the stack mould.

I then topped the salad with crayfish and salad dressing. Voila! Simple, colourful and delicious.

CRAYFISH SALAD WITH THAI-STYLE DRESSING — Crayfish Salad with Thai Style Dressing

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Cooking Our Catch, Crustacean

Crayfish Mornay

October 22, 2014 The Captain & the Cook 1 Comment

One of our longest legs sailing so far was the 58 hour sail from Seisai, QLD to Gove, NT. We had some really nice weather and good sailing for most of it. Since it was another milestone (i.e. entering another state, Northern Territory) we decided to celebrate with a delicious meal. Crayfish Mornay.

This is what we did…

Dwayne cut the crayfish in half, from head to tail. I removed the meat, washed the shells, and roughly chopped the lobster flesh.

To make the mornay I heated some milk, a thick slice of onion, a bay leaf and some peppercorns in a pot. I simmered it for a couple of minutes. I then removed the pot from the heat, covered it and let it sit for 15minutes so the flavour would infuse.

I heated a little oil (I didn’t have butter) in a saucepan and added a some plain flour. I cooked this for a minute or two, stirring constantly, then removed it from heat.

I added the white wine and mixed until I had a smooth consistency, then added the milk gradually while mixing. I cooked it over low heat for a few minutes until the sauce thickened. Stirred in a little salt and pepper, cream and some cheese. I stirred this until the cheese melted, then added the crayfish meat.

I then spooned the lobster mixture into the shells, sprinkled with cheese and baked it in the oven for 15minute .

It was nice served with basmati rice and steamed broccoli.

Cooking Our Catch, Shell Fish

Oysters Kilpatrick

October 20, 2014 The Captain & the Cook Leave a comment

With oysters we collected on Forbes Island I made oysters Kilpatrick. You will notice that the oysters are not grilled in the oyster shell. When collecting oysters off the rocks we take them out of the shell, so I have collected a few odd shells to enable me to do my favourite grilled oyster recipes.

For my Kilpatrick oysters I fried up some diced bacon in a small saucepan to crisp it a bit. I remove it from the heat and then add Worcestershire sauce and a bit of tomato sauce.

I place an oyster into each shell, add some of the sauce and the bacon, then grill it for a couple of minutes.

Delicious!

Cooking Our Catch, Fish

Cajun Mackerel with Pineapple, Tomato and Corn Salad

October 12, 2014 The Captain & the Cook 1 Comment

We caught a couple of mackerel just out from Undine Cay. The first, which I used for this recipe, was a spotted mackerel which Dwayne filleted. We arrived at Hope Island in time for lunch so I cooked up a couple of fillets and served the with a salsa style salad. This was simple and very delicious.

To make the salad I mixed diced pineapple, tomato, red onion, red chilli with corn kernels and the juice of one lime.

I coated the mackerel fillets with Cajun spices and fried them in canola oil.

The Cajun spice and the fruity flavour of the salad were amazing together. Yummo!

Cooking Our Catch, Fish

Yellow Curried Mackerel Cutlet

October 7, 2014 The Captain & the Cook Leave a comment

I served this the night Sarah and Joanna came to visit us in Airlie beach .

I made a yellow curry sauce with Mae Ploy’s yellow curry paste, finely chopped ginger and garlic, finely sliced kaffir lime leaves, a little fish stock and coconut milk. I simmered the sauce for 20mins, adding water when necessary, until the flavours had developed at which time I added the mackerel cutlets.

I serve the curry with basmati rice, blanched snow peas and a little tomato.

Cooking Our Catch, Fish, Marlin, Shell Fish

Beer Battered Marlin Fingers and Oysters

August 26, 2014 The Captain & the Cook 1 Comment

On our first day in Island Head Creek QLD, we discovered some huge oysters. Dwayne thought all his Christmases had come at once and like a little boy eager to try out his new truck he just had to go oyster harvesting!

Later that day, tucked away in Island Head Creek on a rainy day with nothing better to do, I decided to do some cooking. Once I had my Beef Cheek Pie Filling on the simmer and a piece of marlin curing in a gin mix, I decided I’d do some beer battered marlin and oysters for lunch. Yummo!

I made a simple beer batter with plain flour and beer. Cleaned the oysters and cut two marlin fillets into thick fingers. Coated the fish and oysters with the batter and deep fried for a few minutes.

I served the beer battered marlin and oysters with several dipping sauces. Sweet chilli, soy, kecap manis, cocktail sauce and a sauce of mayo, lime and capers. Delicious!

Cooking Our Catch, Marlin, Soup

Marlin Dumplings in a Spicy Broth

August 4, 2014 The Captain & the Cook Leave a comment

At the moment we are still working our way through the marlin we caught out from South West Rocks, NSW.

I’m having a lot of fun thinking up new ways to serve Marlin, and these marlin dumplings are one of my favourite creations so far and very easy to make.

This is what I did…

In a food processor I blended marlin with some fresh ginger, fish sauce and spring onions, then I mixed in some chives. I made the dumplings using wanton wrappers.

For the broth I use chicken stock, five spice, chilli, and some slices of fresh ginger. I brought the broth to the boil then reduced the heat and simmered for a few minutes.

I simmered the dumplings in the broth for 3-4 minutes, then they were ready to serve!

Bon Appetit!

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Cephalopod, Cooking Our Catch, Pickled food

Pickled Octopus

July 16, 2014 The Captain & the Cook 1 Comment

We put the crab pot out to try and catch crabs while moored in Fame Cove, Port Stephens NSW. No luck with crabs but we didn’t go away empty handed, we did get an octopus.

One of our favourite happy hour nibbles is pickled octopus, so we set to work making it.

Dwayne’s first job is to get it out of the net; I just can’t handle the thought of it wrapping it’s tentacles around my arms (which it does!).

Dwayne prepares it by removing it’s head and the skin , then cutting it into individual tentacles.

I place the tentacles into a pot and put it on the lowest possible heat (adding no water). I simmer the octopus for about 30 minutes. The pot fills with liquid as the octopus simmers.

When cooked I slice the octopus into bite-size pieces and place them in a container with one part white vinegar, one part sweet spiced vinegar, half a packet of pickling spice mix, a pinch of chilli flakes and a slice onion. Then refrigerate it!

When I serve the octopus I place it in a serving dish and drizzle it with a little olive oil, yum.

Check out our Pickled Octopus Salad with Lime Aioli

Cooking Our Catch, Marlin

Marlin Skewers on Green Pea Mash

July 12, 2014 The Captain & the Cook 2 Comments

We just had lunch and I had to share it with you guys. This was just so yummy!

I barbequed skewers of marlin, mushroom, cherry tomatoes and red onion. I served these with a green pea mash. Simple…. all I did was sauté a clove of garlic and half an onion with olive oil, then I added frozen peas and a 1/4 cup of chicken stock, cooked it for 5 minutes then pureed it. Al la Marlin Skewers on Green Pea Mash. Yum!

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