Like all the recipes posted in this blog and included in the Our Galley series of e-books, every one of these dishes have been prepared by Karen in the galley on board 'Our Dreamtime'. Living on the hook or in a marina doesn't mean you can't eat great meals.
Spending so much time afloat, it's not surprising that we enjoy a lot of seafood. We catch a fair proportion of the fish, crabs and crayfish we eat and are always on the lookout for some nice fresh prawns direct from the trawler men or quality seafood outlet.
Karen has developed a great range of recipes to ensure we never tire of eating our catch. Scroll down to see a few of her seafood suggestions. There are many, many more in the e-book. Click on any image to see larger versions.
Berbers and Orange Glaze Mackerel
Serves 2
Ingredients
4 x 75g mackerel fillets with skin on
2 tbs plain flour
1 tsp smoked paprika
2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1 orange - zest and juice
1 -2 tbs of Berbers Spice (1 is mild, 2 is hot) recipe can be found in spice blends on Our Galley-Dreamtimesail blog.
1 large dollop of honey
3 tbs slivered almonds toasted
1 tsp coriander seeds toasted
fresh coriander to serve
Side dish
1 1/2 cup mixed quinoa
4 tbs dried cranberries
1 can drained and washed chickpeas
1 can drained green beans
1/4 tsp cinnamon
Pinch nutmeg
Pinch cloves
Let’s get Cooking
Toast the almonds and coriander seeds in a dry pan until golden, set aside.
Boil 2 cups of water add quinoa and bring to simmer. Turn heat off add spices and stir. Add beans, chickpeas and cranberries.
Roll the mackerel fillets in the flour sifted with smoked paprika and seasoning. Shake off excess flour and set the fish aside in a single layer.
Put 1 tbs of the olive oil, the orange zest, honey and juice and the berbers spice into a small bowl, and whisk together. Heat a enamel pan with remaining olive oil until very hot. Fry the fish fillets for 4 mins, first on the skin side, then on the flesh side. Turn once again so flesh is facing up.
When the fish is nearly cooked – it should look/feel firm – pour over the orange and berbers glaze, bring to the boil and allow the liquid to bubble until sticky, turn heat off. Spoon the glaze over the fish until there isn’t any left.
Drain any excess liquid from quinoa. Place quinoa on plate fish on top spoon any extra glaze over fish and sprinkle over the almonds, coriander seeds and fresh coriander.
Cuttlefish in Lemon, Garlic and Chilli Sauce
Ingredients
Serves 2
300 gm fresh pasta, or packaged pasta
100 ml extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 fresh red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
4 dried anchovy fillets, soaked in water and then finely chopped
400 gm cuttlefish or small squid, cleaned and cut into 5mm-wide strips
200 ml dry white wine
1 finely zested lemon rind
2 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
15 gm fine breadcrumbs, made from day-old bread, toasted (¼ cup)
2 tbs of sesame seeds
To serve: lemon
Let's get Cooking
Cook pasta in boiling salted water until al dente, then drain. Reserve 1/4 of cooking water.
In a dry hot skillet cook breadcrumbs and sesame seeds until lightly toasted. Remove from heat.
Meanwhile, heat half the olive oil in a large frying pan, add garlic, chilli and anchovies and cook over medium-high heat for 30-40 seconds or until garlic is golden.
Add cuttlefish/squid and cook for another minute or just until cuttlefish is opaque, then add wine, bring to the boil, and cook until liquid is reduced to ¼ cup.
Remove pan from heat, then add lemon rind and parsley and season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Add drained pasta to squid mixture and toss gently to combine.
Add 1/4 cup of the salted water the pasta was cooked in.
Return to heat and stir until sauce thickens.
Divide among shallow bowls, scatter with breadcrumbs and drizzle with remaining olive oil, then serve immediately with lemon to the side
Prawn and Mango Salad..YUM!
Ingredients (serves 4)
4 handfuls mixed lettuce leaves
2 mangoes, cut into cubes
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
20 cooked prawns, peeled and deveined
2 avocados, cut into cubes
1 handful coriander leaves, chopped
1 long red chilli, chopped (optional)
Dressing
2 tbs Balsamic Vinegar
6 tbs olive oil
1 tbs honey
1/2 Tbsp wholegrain mustard
Let's Get Cooking
In a large bowl or on a platter, arrange lettuce, mango, onion, prawns and avocado.
To make the dressing, shake ingredients in a jar until combined. Taste and adjust to your liking. Pour over salad, and sprinkle with coriander leaves and chilli.
Everybody loves scallops, and for those of you who have never had scallops before, this recipe of Seared Scallops with Champagne and Lemon Sauce is a great introduction to these beauties from the sea. This recipe is loaded with so much flavor and it´s above and beyond easy to make. I used a Spanish cava as my sparkling wine to make the Champagne sauce. Cava is to Spain what Champagne is to France, but you can you use any other type of Sparkling wine.
The Secret to Perfectly Seared Scallops
Perfectly searing scallops is actually a very simple technique, yet so many people get it wrong. You have to sear them at least at a medium-high heat, nothing lower, and with enough oil/fat to cover the entire surface of the pan. If you over-cook scallops, you get a very unpleasant and chewy scallop, cook it correctly, you get rewarded with a sweet and soft scallop.
Scallops in Champagne and Lemon Butter
Ingredients
For champagne butter sauce
1 cup champagne
⅓ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into several chunks
3 tbsp shallots, minced
1/4 of a preserved lemon sliced thinly
1 tsp lemon juice
Salt & pepper to taste
For pasta & scallops
1 cup champagne
⅓ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into several
chunks
3 tbsp shallots, minced
1 tsp lemon juice
Salt & pepper to taste
300 grams of uncooked pasta
800 grams of scallops
¼ cup champagne
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, crushed
Salt & pepper to taste
Parsley to garnish
Parmesan or Grana Padano to top (shaved or grated)
Let’s get Cooking
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat. Add pasta and reduce heat a bit until it reaches a medium boil. Cook for 5-7 minutes, pasta should be under cooked, then drain reserving 1 cup of pasta water and rinse immediately with lukewarm water. Drain completely and pour pasta back into the pot.
Heat a separate pan on medium-high heat, and add shallots and champagne in. Boil mixture, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced to a glaze (about 4-5 mins). Add in chunks of butter, continually mixing quickly until sauce reaches a creamier consistency. Add lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Pour sauce into pot with pasta, and stir to coat with sauce evenly. Cook for a further 3 minutes reducing the sauce to thicken add a little of the reserved pasta water.
Reserve pan.
Heat reserved pan on medium-high heat, and melt butter. Add garlic and shallots in and cook until softened. Add scallops and cook until caramelised and opaque. Pour champagne in and deglaze the pan (stir rapidly as champagne froths). Season with desired salt and pepper, and add scallops to pot of pasta. Stir to combine add the preserved lemon.
Plate pasta, and top with parsley garnish and desired amount of parmesan or grana padano. For that added touch of decadence add some caviar to the mound of pasta .....
Enjoy!
Fish Taco’s
This is a great recipe to use up the last of your fresh fish, for lunch, dinner or when guests drop over. They are quick easy and as long as you have fish the pantry handles the rest of the ingredients.
You don’t need to deep fry to make terrific Fish Tacos. You just need a really great taco spice! A seriously delicious way to serve up white fish fillets, this recipe can be cooked on the BBQ or stove. Either way, they’re healthy, fresh and bursting with serious taco goodness!
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 tbs of olive oil
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 can of corn kernels
1 can of 5 bean mix
4 tbs of taco spice mix
600g of white firm fish
2 tbs of jalapeño diced
Extra jalapeño for serving
2 limes cut into wedges
8 soft taco shells
An optional sauce
3/4 cup sour cream (or yogurt)
2 - 3 tbs sriracha
Let’s get Cooking
Heat the oil in a heavy based pan. Place fish in pan. Whilst fish is cooking which should be about 4 minutes each side. Drain tomatoes. Combine the tinned ingredients and the spice mix. Mix well and set aside.
If using sauce make this now, by combining ingredients.
Once fish is cooked. Flake into pieces.
Now to assemble, in each of the shells, add the salsa mix, top with some jalapeño and then the fish. Add more salsa then a drizzle of sauce and dress with more jalapeños.
Or you can let your guests serve themselves, a great way to share food. Enjoy!
Fish Dish with No Name
Ingredients
Paste
1 tbs diced fresh Turmeric
1 diced Chilli 1 tbs, leave the seeds in if you want more heat. Or more chilli if you dare
2 Garlic cloves diced
3 cm of fresh Ginger diced
1/4 red Onion diced
1 cup roasted Macadamia nuts
1 cup Water may need more or less
Salt to season
1/2 tsp Lemon Myrtle
3 Kaffir lime sliced as thin as you can
1/2 tsp Coriander seed
2 lengths Lemon grass
1 tbs of diced red onion
2 x Mackerel fillets
Juice of 1 Lime
Pinch of each S & P
2 tbs Vegetable oil
Alfoil, banana leaf or pandanus leaf
Let’s get Cooking
Combine Mackerel Fillets, lime juice and salt and pepper in a shallow dish and leave rest in the fridge for 20-30minutes whilst you make the paste.
Combine all of the paste ingredients into your food blender bowl and blitz until you have course sand.
On a medium heat add oil to your skillet when the oil is shimmering .... not smoking hot.
Pour your paste into the skillet and keep stirring so it doesn’t stick and burn. We need to cook all of those strong flavours to mellow them.
As you start to smell the aromas of the spices and the nuttiness of the macadamia start adding a little water at this time.
Stir until the paste has absorbed the water continuously stir and add the water until you have a well combined paste.
Add the Coriander Seed, Lemon Myrtle and Kaffir Lime Leaves and stir to combine.
Let the paste cool. Time to taste does it need more salt
Prepare your fish. Place your fish on your choice of wrap. In the video I use alfoil only because I didn’t have banana or pandanus leaf onboard, however you can use any as all three will give you great results.
Heat your BBQ to medium.
Using a piece of lemongrass for each fish trim and use the white end up to the length of your fillet.
Bruise the lemongrass by breaking the stem in a number of places or crushing it with the flat of a knife on the bench.
In the slit where the bones normally lay place the stalk of lemongrass on top of this now lay a layer of the cooled paste quite a thick layer in fact. Sprinkle each with some extra diced red onion
Now wrap your fillets in two layers of your chosen wrapper.
Place your wrapped fish on the BBQ rack. Cook for 4 minutes and then turn over for another 4. Turn BBQ down to low and place fish on top rack for 6 minutes. These times are only a guide as your fish will be of different thickness, maybe a different species and your BBQ will definitely behave differently to ours. To check if your fish is cooked open the parcel and using a fork the flesh should flake apart very easily, as you can see in the video.
Enjoy 😊 thank you to everyone that came up with creative names for this recipe 😍Watch for our final decision on the name in future posts 👍
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| Smoked Orange and Garlic Chilli Prawns |
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| Mussels in White Wine |
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| Chilli Crab |
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| Corsican Baked Fish |
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| Crispy Skin Salmon with Asian Greens |
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| Lemon and White Wine Fish |
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| West Coast Lemon Myrtle Salmon with Louisiana Creole Sweet Potato Fries |
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| We love catching our own food |
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| Salt and Pepper Mixed Seafood Salad |
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Here's a couple of sample pages from the
Sensational Seafood e-book, Volume 2 in the
Our Galley series.
Cooking and Catching Crabs
Whether it is mud crab or blue swimmers you are catching, you are in for a culinary delight once you have bagged and cooked them. In our opinion there is nothing quite like fresh crab! On "Our Dreamtime" we love catching crab and will at any anchorage try to find a suitable spot to drop our pots. Not always successful but we do pride ourselves on regularly having a good feed of crab.
Mud crabs are certainly one of Australia’s most tasty crabs and while they are found in the northern part of the country, those taking a cruise to the north, should at some point go on a crabbing mission. If your not sure ask someone in the anchorage your staying in. You just might find a crabber willing to take you along and show you some tips.
Like all of the tastiest seafood’s available, it is always a mission to clean, cook and eat them. But at the end of the day, if you’re willing to go through the rigmarole of doing so, you’ll be pleasantly happy with a belly full of yummy crab.
Mud Crabs can be found along the entire Queensland coast in sheltered estuaries, tidal flats and rivers lined with mangroves. They also inhabit tropical to warm temperate waters from Exmouth Gulf in Western Australia to the Bega River in New South Wales.
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| Photo: Qld Fisheries |
As a marine and estuarine animal they're usually found in shallow water, but berried females occur well offshore. They favour a soft muddy bottom, often below tide level.
The colour of Mud Crabs varies, from dark olive-brown to greenish-blue and blue-black. Patterns of lighter coloured dots cover their walking legs.
Officially, Mud Crabs are 'omnivorous' scavengers. But they're also cannibalistic, eating other crabs as well as barnacles, bivalves and dead fish.
There are a variety of crab traps, in different shapes and sizes, including round, square, pyramid, collapsible and net types. Dillys and hooks have been banned for catching Mud Crabs. We use the traditional round collapsible type. They are easy to store on deck in a purpose made canvas bag.
Crab pots are available from most fishing supplies outlets. Almost every pot is now made of string mesh. Which crab pot you choose is up to you and your budget. The cheap rectangular pots are as good as any, but you must check and repair them constantly, as the old crab will either walk out, or chew his way out.
Crabs like fresh bait, so some crabbers will change bait twice a day. Fresh fish or frames and heads are excellent, in particular whole mullet (score the flesh down the the bone). Chicken carcass or necks, and kangaroo meat and bones are also good but the secret is: it has to be FRESH.
A mud crab has two very big and strong claws. They are so strong in fact that they can crush your finger, hand or foot should it grab you. Instantly you’ll be in excruciating pain and it is best to break off the top or bottom pincer to release the grip. Should you pull the entire arm off; the grip will still be in place. When ever your catching mud crabs, always be careful you really don’t want to be caught out with one of these nasty critters holding onto your finger.
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| Rob searching for the right spot |
Where you put the pot is the most important part of the mud crab hunt. During heavy rain, or 'the wet' in the tropics, the rivers are high and fresh and crabs, like most other fish, can not survive in fresh-water, so they move out along the shallow coastal flats. That's where you put your pots at that time of the year.
But during the dry as the salt water intrudes way up the rivers and creeks you follow this salt water intrusion.
Also drop your pots in very small creeks and deep gutters as crabs use these as highways into the mangroves.
Queensland law states you are allowed four pots per person, (we carry only four pots and find this is enough) and 10 male crabs PER PERSON IN POSSESSION. It is NOT 10 crabs per day. (it's illegal to take female crabs in Queensland). Minimum 'take' size on male mud crabs is 15cm. For up to date information https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/fisheries
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| Female Mud Crab NO TAKE |
Download the PDF that Qld Fisheries have supplied here
Cleaning and Cooking MUD Crab.
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| Cooked mud crab are a wonderful Orange/red colour |
So now that you have caught them you need to clean them. If you wish to clean them prior to cooking follow the following steps. You can always clean them after cooking. If you prefer this method jump to the cooking steps.
Cleaning Muddy’s is quite easy, if they are still alive try to pin down using a solid item such as a small piece of timber or other item.
- Pin them up against something solid like the back of a bait board to keep the claws away from your fingers.
- With a firm grip, pull the tail up and with your thumbs under the tail push forward separating the shell from the carapace.
- Keep pushing forward to remove the shell from the carapace.
- With both hands, grab either side of the crab holding tight the claws and fold the crab in half downwards to break the underside.
- Place on the edge of something sharp and break the body in half.
- Once the crab is in two, clean the inside removing the gills and organs.
- After the crab is cleaned it is ready to be cooked and eaten.
Cooking Mud Crabs
Wash the mud crabs thoroughly. If you haven't cleaned the crabs as above because the idea of this is to scary or to inhumane. Place live green mud crabs into ICE SLURRY for 35 Minutes in a container or bin, or in the freezer for 35 minutes. They go to sleep, and die.
- Bring pot with a good handful of salt to the boil.
- Place Mud crabs in pot.
- Bring to BOIL again and then cook for 22 minutes.
- In another container or bin add another 3 handfuls of salt to the ice slurry
- Once cooked, place mud crabs into this and when cool, clean them in the slurry water. This way the FLAVOUR with salt stays within the mud crab.
- With a firm grip, pull the tail up and with your thumbs under the tail push forward separating the shell from the carapace.
- With both hands, grab either side of the crab holding tight the claws and fold the crab in half downwards to break the underside.
- Once the crab is in two, clean the inside removing the gills and organs.
Eating Mud Crab.
Mud crabs are very delicious. If you haven’t caught mud crabs before, I suggest you get some pots and give it a go, one taste and you’ll want more. Its also a great way to meet new friends, sharing a fresh catch of crab with others in the anchorage is fantastic. Below are a few ways we love to eat crab.
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| Sharing crab catch with International cruisers. Bundaberg Qld. |
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| A catch of crab in Bundaberg |
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| Just on freshly baked bread. |
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| With a lovely cool crisp white. |
Blue Swimmers
Blue Swimmer Crabs (sand crabs) are highly sought after crabs both commercially and recreationally in the coastal waters around Western Australia, Queensland New South Wales and Victoria. They are much sweeter in taste compared to mud crabs, but many people find them fiddly to shell. Karen is our master sheller onboard so the crabs are cooked and shelled in no time.
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Crabbing is a lot of fun!
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Also known as Blue Manna Crabs, these crustaceans have 2 long front claws, 3 sets of smaller legs and a rear set of paddlers. They swim and scuttle sideways and are very quick movers along the seabed and as swimmers.
Male and female Blue Swimmer Crabs are distinguishably different in appearance. The males have a blue shell, longer claws and on the underside of the body their flap is long and narrow. Females have a brown/green shell and a much broader and rounded underside flap than the males. When a female has eggs, the flap will hold a sponge-like cluster of yellow eggs. Female and undersized crabs must be returned to the water immediately in all states.
Measuring a Blue Swimmer Crab correctly is very important and should not be taken lightly as hefty fines can be imposed on those caught with any undersized crabs in possession. You are required to be in possession of an approved gauge which is available at local tackle shops, each state varies in size. Measure the crab horizontally across the widest part of its top shell (carapace), along the widest protruding rear spikes. If each spike touches the gauge you have yourself a sized and legal crab. Note measuring procedures differ in NSW, crabs are measured vertically from the notch central to the eyes at the front across to the centre of the rear of the carapace.
Male and female Blue Swimmer Crabs are distinguishably different in appearance. The males have a blue shell, longer claws and on the underside of the body their flap is long and narrow. Females have a brown/green shell and a much broader and rounded underside flap than the males. When a female has eggs, the flap will hold a sponge-like cluster of yellow eggs. “Berried” females and undersized crabs must be returned to the water immediately in all states.
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Sand crabs are a great fun catch for youngsters, be aware they can still give a nasty bite.
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Size & Bag Limits / State Fisheries
In Western Australia, the minimum legal size limit is 127mm across the carapace (back shell), personal daily bag limit is 10 crabs and the boat limit is 20 crabs. (Take note that 2 licenced fishermen are required on the vessel to catch the boat limit of 20 crabs). A recreational fishing licence is required for all crabbing methods in WA and the legal apparatus is 1 hand-held blunt wire hook per person, 1 wire scoop net per person or 10 drop nets per person or boat. Further information can be obtained from www.fish.wa.gov.au/
In Queensland, the minimum legal size limit is 115mm across the carapace and there are no personal daily bag limits or boat limits. A recreational fishing licence is not required in QLD and the legal apparatus is 4 crab pots or dillies (or combination) per person or boat. All females, “berried” or not, must be returned to the water immediately. Further information can be obtained from www.daf.qld.gov.au/fisheries
In New South Wales, the minimum legal size limit is 60mm across the carapace and the personal daily bag limit is 20 crabs. A recreational fishing licence is required in NSW and the legal apparatus is 1 wire scoop net per person or 1crab trap per person. Further information can be obtained from http://www.pir.sa.gov.au/fishing
In South Australia, the minimum legal size limit is 110mm across the carapace, personal daily bag limit is 40 crabs and the boat limit is 120 crabs. A recreational fishing licence is not required in SA and the legal apparatus is 1 crab rake per person or 3 drop nets per person. Further information can be obtained from http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing
Crab pots varies substantially in each state. Some states allow certain pots and others prohibit them. Nets, pots, dillies and traps differ in required dimensions and features. Floats, ropes, weights and name tagged apparatus also need to be taken into consideration. So check local fishing guidelines prior to placing your pots in the water. Large fines can be applied. We use the same pots for swimmers as we do for mud crabs.
Scooping for blue swimmer crabs is very popular in shallow estuaries. Fishermen can walk in the water with a wire scoop net attached to a long handle and when you see a crab start to scuttle, do your best to scoop it up in the net. Catching them sideways is easiest, but they can be very quick so you need to be too. No bait is required, just your focus and quick hand and eye coordination.
State recreational fishing rules and regulations are subject to change. Season closures and licences can be enforced, size and bag limits can change, as can permitted and prohibited fishing apparatus. It all has to do with protecting breeding stocks in the applicable areas. Ensure you keep up to date with current fisheries regulations and research online (links above) prior to fishing in unfamiliar territory.
Cooking and Eating Swimmer Crabs
These delicious Blue Swimmer Crabs are your reward for all the effort, which is fun in itself.
- Boil a large pot of boiling water, add a handful of rock salt or sea salt.
- Place as many crabs as you can fit in the pot and boil until they start to float.
- Cooking usually takes about 8 minutes for a legal sized crab a little longer if you are lucky enough to bag a larger swimmer.
Cleaning the cooked crabs is the messy part.
- When they have cooled down pull the underside flap right back and continue pulling it around to remove the shell from its back.
- Break the shell-less body in half and remove the bodily organs and fluids and then rinse the meat thoroughly.
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Fresh Sand crab Omelette is an all time favourite on Our Dreamtime.
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