This particular blog post is about 3 things:
1) Fish. And not just any fish – BIG fish.
2) Fake fruit. And not just any fake fruit – BIG fake fruit. (Stick with me on this one guys, I’ll explain shortly)
3) Me celebrating my 101st day in Oz.
Cairns, being on the coast and so close to the Great Barrier Reaf, has a definite fishing culture to it. Queenslanders catch it, they eat it, they take under-water pictures of it … These people are all about fish. Over the last few weeks here in Queensland, I’ve noticed several stand-out fish:
First, there was the “Big Marlin” out front of the Stockland Shopping Centre where my rugby coach runs his coffee shop. (So says coach: “That’s a good lookin’ fish!”)
Then there was the “Big Barramundi” which I saw last week off to the side of the road while driving towards the waterfalls in the Atherton Tablelands.
Finally, and perhaps most famously, are the big metal fish which sit in The Esplanade’s man-made “lagoon”.
That got me thinking: what types of large, fake edible foods do we have back in Canada? After giving it some thought, I realized there are several:
- The “Big Potato” outside Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. (http://www.flickr.com/photos/aemacivor/54649859/in/set-48135/)
- The “Big Blueberry” also in the Maritimes (amazingly, i can't find a picture of this anywhere on the net)
- The “Big Strawberry”, again in the Maritimes (why is nobody taking pictures of these?)
- The “Big Apple” outside Colborne, Ontario, Canada (found it - http://www.roadsideattractions.ca/apple.htm)
So, when it occurred to me that I had finally been in Australia over 100 days (clearly a milestone that deserved to be recognized, perhaps by cooking myself a romantic meal-for-one), it was clear to me that I would be cooking fish.
The previous week, my rugby coach had me over to his place for a post-practice impromptu barbecue. Given that he’s a trained chef by trade and a fish angler by hobby, it wasn’t a surprise that (1) he had some fresh-caught fish in his fridge, or (2) he found a tasty way to cook it up for us. Mangrove Jack was the name of the fish, a sport fish generally caught of Australia's north-eastern shores.
So, for my 101st Day In Oz celebration, I recreated this meal down at the flat-top barbecue stations along The Esplanade. (note: we don't have "flat-top" barbecues in Canada. Pan-frying is the equivalent preparation method.)
Note: I make a great date for myself. Really, I do. I complemented myself continuously, I laughed at all of my jokes (even the bad ones), I didn't try to make a move on myself pre-maturely ...
*** UPDATE: Since publishing this post, the following website has been brought to my attention: http://www.bigthings.com.au/. Apparently Australia has no shortage of "Big Things". :)
Ingredients
Per person
1 large fillet of Mangrove Jack
2 small baby Zucchinis, ends removed and cut lengthwise
2 ripe Field Tomatoes, ends removed and cut into wedges
4-6 cloves of Garlic, depending on personal preference
Butter
Balsamic Vinegar
Method
1 - In a small bowl, place a few dollops of butter. Add a few cloves of garlic (depending on personal preference).
2 - Drop butter and garlic onto flat-top barbecue. Once melted, add zucchini, flipping to coat in butter. Cook until half-done.
3 - And more butter and garlic to another location of the flat-top. Melt, and add fish fillet. Do NOT overcook fish! Allow to cook 3-5 minutes per side, until the centre is just slightly pink.
4 – Just after the fish goes on the flat-top, add more butter and garlic to another location on the flat top, and grill the tomatoes, turning once each side begin to color. Do NOT overcrowd the tomatoes or they will stew (rather than grill), losing their shape. (I.e. you will end up with barbecued tomato slop).
5 - To serve, place barbecued zucchini in a center of your plate, coating lightly with balsamic, top with cooked fish fillets, and place tomatoes off to the side.
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