creamy fish & prawn pie - trawler to table

I’ve been sitting on my much loved Fish & King Prawn Pie recipe for some time now, eager to share it with you when the time came. It's a trawler to table tale, inspired by my Dad's love of green prawns and a hybrid of Jamie Oliver & Matt Moran's famous recipes - starring local Queensland seafood.  

Then two Sundays ago in Sydney’s Sun-Herald newspaper, the Winter Food Issue of 'Sunday Magazine' captured the most edible cover I've seen in ages. Take a look here.  It was no surprise to learn it had been shot by the very talented Katie Quinn of What Katie Ate fame - one of our favourite Aussie food bloggers and photographers. Don't you just adore the scaly texture to her fishy puff pastry!  Such a clever gal. Thank you Katie. Don't miss her amazing Tokyo images at the worlds largest wholesale fish markets too.

For fellow magazine fanatics and creative friends, have you checked out Cover Junkie yet? - a website dedicated to creative magazine covers.

Creamy Fish and Prawn Pie

prep time: 30 minutes + cooking time: 30 minutes serves 4 (or 6 if served with a side of mash)

Ingredients - knob of butter ❤ 2 tablespoons olive oil ❤ 1 medium carrot, peeled and grated ❤ 2 celery stalks, sliced finely ❤ 1 leek, white part only chopped finely ❤ 1 tablespoon plain flour ❤ 1 lemon, fine zest & juice ❤ 1 cup (250ml) fish stock ❤ 125grams fresh green king prawns  ❤ 500 grams firm white fish fillets, diced coarsely ❤ ½ cup (125ml) pouring cream ❤ 1 tablespoon dijon french mustard ❤ 1 cup (120 grams) frozen peas ❤ just picked flat leaf parsley ❤ ½ cup (40 grams) freshly grated parmesan  ❤ ½ cup freshly grated quality cheddar ❤ 1 sheet puff pastry (I use Careme - the best from my local deli) OR 1kg potatoes, peeled, cooked & mashed  ❤ 1 egg, beaten lightly ❤ sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method - Preheat oven to hot 220°C (425°F). Lightly butter an oval baking dish (6cup capacity). Grate carrots and slice leek and celery. Finely chop parsley.

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spaghettini alla bottarga

Sorry to be absent this week.  No, I haven’t been away anywhere exotic, except in my dreams. But ‘Fine Food Queensland’ at the Brisbane Convention Centre was fun and provided loads of gourmet inspiration. 

I’ve been busy with my daughters and helping with an ‘autumn clean’ at Weka Weka too. Still fighting a ½ acre of weeds and lots of fruit picking.  My fruit bowls are piled high with freshly picked chillies, ruby red grapefruit and loads of limes. But there’s plenty of time for all that loveliness later in the week, isn’t there? Gotta show you the rubies though...

To top it off I just couldn’t make up my mind what to share with you next? Finally decided to surprise you with something from left field that’s neither sweet nor baked. An unexpected dish using a little known ingredient in South East Queensland that's coming into season very soon.  Or perhaps I should say swimming in.

The contestants on Australian ‘Masterchef’ created a lobster dish a while back using Bottarga, a seafood delicacy in many parts of the world. Simply put it’s sun-dried mullet roe. They complicated things (as per usual on that show) with a dozen different ‘elements’ to finish. My pet peeve! Bottarga isn’t meant to be a complicated dish. Gourmet Traveller got it right with their recipe. Hats off to them for keeping it so simple.  

What’s all the fuss about you ask? Please read on. This simple traditional recipe for Bottarga uses only five added ingredients; thin spaghettini, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, lemon and Italian parsley from your garden. It’s divine, something very different and should only take you ten minutes tops to prep and another ten to cook.

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giant freshwater crayfish

Seasonal Jotting

No one can dispute we are blessed in Queensland with superb local seafood. Queenslanders cook and plate up seafood very well at home. We are also spoilt with an abundant number of exceptional seafood restaurants across the State. Moreton Bay Bugs, Sand Crabs, King Prawns, fantastic local whiting, Pearl Perch, Barramundi ... just to name a ½ dozen. 

My Dad is and always has been the biggest seafood fanatic I know. It’s no wonder his oldest friend is Michael Gambaro - a name synonymous with Queensland seafood since 1953.  

I’ve lots of lovely seafood recipes I can’t wait to share with you. I’ll throw in a couple of classic Roman & Sardinian ones too from my nostalgic Italian longings. 

Until then, the reason for this posting was simply to share a couple of happy snaps my Mum took on a recent trip to Tasmania.  Perhaps a generous food blogger down there might like to share their ‘secret’ cray recipe with us.  

We are so proud of our Aussie produce - from our farms and the sea. Do you ever worry that species like this magnificent cray, the largest of its type in the world, might be lost forever one day? 

State boundaries and current ‘My Kitchen Rules’  rivalry aside, I’ll let the pics do the talking. 

Perhaps there are two Queenslanders tonight, wishing they hadn’t done so much talking this week?! Good luck tonight Peter & Gary on MKR.