Scaling down the catch: Josh Niland on using every part of a fish

Many countries and cultures across the world make a conscious effort to use the whole animal in cooking. Australian chef Josh Niland would love home cooks to see fish as more than a sum of their fillets. He discusses how privilege has led a majority of consumers to use boneless and skinless product, which make up roughly 50% of the animal. He suggests inquiring about ground tuna, mackerel, or swordfish at the fish counter for lasagna and meatballs. In Niland’s new book, “Take One Fish”, he schools readers on using different components of the fish, from small anchovies to the mighty tuna.

PISSALADIERE AND PICHADE

SERVES 4

I fell in love with these two tarts while working in a Niçoise-style restaurant a number of years ago. It was far too difficult to decide which to include in this book, so I thought I’d do both. Traditionally from Genoa in Liguria, pissaladière is made with caramelised onion, olives, salted anchovies and a focaccia-style bread, while Pichade de Menton is similarly adorned but the caramelised onion is replaced with a base of slow-cooked tomatoes. Both are packed full of umami and are universally loved.

I decided to use fresh sardines here instead of salted anchovies. I know! Not exactly traditional, but I find the bright minerality and clean flavours of fresh sardines actually balance the dish better. I’ve also replaced the bread with a sour cream pastry, which gives a rich, slightly soft centre where the toppings sit but also has crisp, buttery edges. The pastry shell can be prepared ahead, as can all the toppings, so break down the recipe into individual tasks during the week and share these tarts with loved ones on the weekend. Serve with a simple salad of dandelion and pink lady apple, or make them into bite-sized portions for a glamorous canapé option.

Ingredients

• 1 quantity Sour Cream Pastry (see below)

• 12 whole fresh sardines, scaled, filleted and ribs removed

• 24 Ligurian olives, pitted and halved

• 60 ml (2 fl oz/1⁄4 cup) extra-virgin olive oil

• sea salt flakes, freshly cracked black pepper and Espelette pepper

• 1 kg (2 lb 3 oz) ripe tomatoes, washed and cored

• 8 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

• 1⁄2 teaspoon Espelette pepper, or to taste

• 60 ml (2 fl oz/1⁄4 cup) Garum or fish sauce

• 600 g (1 lb 5 oz) white sugar

• 200 ml (7 fl oz) red-wine vinegar

• 100 ml (31⁄2 fl oz) extra-virgin olive oil 6 large brown onions, finely sliced

• 1 tablespoon sea salt flakes

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 star anise

• 2 thyme sprigs

• 1 rosemary sprig

• freshly cracked black pepper

Instructions

-Divide the dough in half then, using a rolling pin, roll out each piece between two sheets of baking paper to a circle about 5 mm (1⁄4 in) thick.

SOUR CREAM PASTRY

MAKES 450 G (1 LB)

This pastry can be made in advance and stored in the freezer. Depending on the recipe, you can either thaw it before use or bake it straight from the freezer.

Ingredients

• 200 g (7 oz/1 1/3 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour, frozen

• 140 g (5 oz) butter, frozen and diced

• 1 teaspoon fine salt

• 2 teaspoons chilled water

• 100 g (3 1⁄2 oz) sour cream, chilled

Instructions

-Pulse the flour and butter in a food processor to create very fine crumbs. Tip onto a cold surface and make a well in the middle. Dissolve the salt in the water and add to the crumb, along with the sour cream, and gently push the dough together until the liquids are fully incorporated and the dough is smooth but has visible ripples of sour cream. It’s very important that you don’t overwork the dough at this stage.

SERVES 4

This is the simplest way to bake a whole snapper with show-stopping results. Once mastered, you can vary the technique with myriad flavours and species, or even the pastry (which is not edible here), but the most critical thing is the resting time after baking. As you can imagine, there is a lot of heat trapped within, and allowing this residual heat to work its magic results in perfectly cooked fish that comes easily off the bone.

There is a big difference between a fish being cooked and being overcooked. When cooking on the bone, there is a sweet spot where the flesh decides to give way off the bone and the natural gelatine and fat are still present. After this moment a fish will start to lose moisture, which ultimately gives it its texture, flavour and appearance. You can always cook a fish a little more if necessary, so always err on the side of underdone for a fish like snapper.

Ingredients

• 1 × 1 kg (2 lb 3 oz) whole snapper, scaled, gutted and pin-boned, spine left intact

• Salt pastry

• 600 g (1 lb 5 oz/4 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour

• 150 g (5 1⁄2 oz) egg whites

• 420 g (15 oz) fine salt

• 300 ml (10 fl oz) water

Instructions

-To make the salt pastry, place all the ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment. Mix together on a low speed for 5 minutes or until a firm smooth dough forms, then turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 1 minute into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and leave to rest for 1 hour.