We visited Adelaide in February and had three superlative fish and seafood dishes – one cooked by our friends and two others at restaurants. We have managed to obtain all three recipes, including the two from the restaurant chefs! The recipes are some of the best examples of their type that we have come across.
In particular, if you have been perplexed about the ceviche phenomenon – wondering why the ones you have tried are somewhat underwhelming – try the recipe provided to us by Magill Estate!
For all three recipes, the end result will largely depend on the quality of the seafood used. Because quality seafood is so expensive, take special care with all three recipes at the final cooking and finishing stages and, in particular, try not to overcook.
Sri Lankan Fish Mouli – Barramundi poached in coconut cream and lemongrass
Our flight was due to land at 7.15 pm. However, due to delays we landed at 9.15 pm. Our friends were there to meet us and about a half an hour later we were sitting around their dining table with a glass of Clare Valley Riesling.
Fifteen minutes later we were eating a beautifully balanced dish via Sri Lanka – not a curry, not a stew, not a soup. A broth based on coconut cream had been prepared earlier. After reheating, all that remained to be done was to drop in cubes of barramundi.
Our friends had been given a copy of The Great Australian Cookbook and chose this recipe. It is a perfect dish for when timing is unpredictable but when you want something outstanding at the last minute.
For the recipe, click here: Sri Lankan Fish Mouli
Seafood Super Bowl from Goolwa – Bouillabaisse-style
Our friends have a holiday house at Goolwa, at the mouth of the Murray River. This historic town fronts the Murray and Lake Alexandrina on one side and the ocean on another.
At the ocean beach, on one corner of the main car park, you will find Bombora Beach Cafe. The main photo for this blog post and the one following are from their website. In the one below, some of those people on the water’s edge would be searching for Goolwa cockles.
It was the first time we had been to Bomboro. Perched on the dunes, it is a hotchpotch of casual eating areas welcoming the steady flow of beach-goers, day trippers and locals. One doesn’t arrive expecting to find sophisticated cooking. However, the locally born head chef is clearly talented and willing to go beyond the predictable fare for a beach side eatery.
Two of us had “Joel’s Goolwa Superbowl, a Bouillabaisse style soup packed with fresh fish, Goolwa cockles, scallops, mussels and prawns”. It is a dish that any high-end restaurant would be proud to serve. On our return to Melbourne we contacted Bomboro and Joel graciously sent us the recipe.
For the recipe, click here: Seafood Super Bowl
White Fish Ceviche from Magill Estate Restaurant
We had a late afternoon flight home to Melbourne which gave us enough time for lunch at Magill Estate Restaurant, located with the Penfolds Magill Estate Vineyard, Winery and Cellars in the foothills, just 8 km east of the Adelaide CBD. Only opened in 2013, the architecture is to marvel at, as are the views at any time of the day. This photo is from their website.
With temperatures around 28oC, the perfect lunch dish was their ceviche. Consisting mainly of white-coloured seafood, it was a revelation as far as ceviche dishes go – so fresh, so tangy but not sharp. On our return to Melbourne we contacted the restaurant and the method was kindly provided to us by sous chef, Carlos Astudillo.
The seafood includes mussels, scallops and prawns along with white-fleshed fish.
The lemon/limey/vinegary marinade acts more like a dressing and includes some mussel juice. The seafood is barely marinated, a few minutes at most. The result is wonderful.
For the recipe, click here: White Fish Ceviche