Mullet with eggplant, pistachio and lemon

Mullet is an underrated, very forgiving-to-cook oily fish and available in abundance in Australia with 16 species native to QLD, NSW and WA. Packed with protein and nutrients, they are especially affordable during the peak seasons from January to May. They are best cooked pan-fried, like in this recipe, but also baked, grilled, barbecued or smoked.

Credit: Jiwon Kim

• serves

  6

• prep

  25 minutes

• cook

  25 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Stream free On Demand

The Rustic Garden Party

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp fennel seeds
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 lemon, juiced and finely zested
• 30 ml olive oil, plus extra to serve
• 1 kg Coorong mullet, butterfly filleted
• Greek yoghurt, lime cheeks, to serve

Topping 

• 500 g eggplant, cut into bite-sized chunks
• salt, for sprinkling
• 100 ml grapeseed oil
• 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
• 2 long red chilli, thinly sliced
• 2 eschallots, thinly sliced
• 50 g preserved lemons, thinly sliced
• ½ cup each picked parsley, dill, coriander leaves
• 50 g pistachio nuts, roasted and roughly chopped

Instructions

1. In a small, dry frying pan, toast the fennel seeds over medium heat, until lightly fragrant. Transfer to a mortar and pestle with the garlic and lemon zest and pound to a fine paste. Add the lemon juice and olive oil and mix well, then transfer to a large bowl with the mullet and rub the marinade into the fish. Allow to marinate for 10 minutes.
   
2. Place the eggplant into a large bowl and generously sprinkle with salt and allow to stand for 10-15 minutes. Rinse with water and gently pat dry with a paper towel. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and pan-fry the eggplant in batches, until golden. On the last batch of eggplant, add the garlic to the pan and cook until just fragrant. Transfer the cooked eggplant to a plate lined with paper towel.
   
3. Heat a chargrill pan or cast-iron frying on high, sprinkle the fish with salt, then place in the pan, skin-side down and cook for 2-3 minutes, then flip. Once cooked, remove the pan from the heat.
   
4. Spoon Greek yoghurt onto a serving plate, then top with the mullet. Sprinkle with the eggplant, chilli, eschallots, preserved lemon, herbs and pistachios. Drizzle with olive oil and serve with lime wedges.

Note

• Alternatively, you can cook this recipe on the barbecue.

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

Stream free On Demand

The Rustic Garden Party

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G