Mark’s Dish – Murray Cod

Nimbo – Mark’s Dish – Peri-peri glazed Murray cod, almond cream, heirloom tomato, radish, mint and cucumber salad

I was spearfishing in the Coral Sea a few weeks back and came across a really nice Green Jobfish at a depth of around 20m of water, they’re tricky little buggers to shoot but I smoked this guy after throwing up some plumes of sand while laying on the bottom.

The Green Jobfish (Jobbies) are not available in the commercial fish marketplace, you have to be an angler or a spear fisherman to even know they exist. -cod These guys have had a rough run throughout history, they were almost extinct at one point and this fish is native to Australia and the Murray Darling Basin and its tributaries.

Murray Cod have survived because of well implemented fishing restrictions for commercial and recreational anglers as well as dedicated research and investment from aquaculture companies. These producers have successfully started growing, harvesting and distributing Murray Cod around Australia and abroad.

Murray Cod have some very similar characteristics to the Jobbies and have great fat content and also love a little bit of time on the fire. So, back to my Jobbie up north, I gave this guy a very liberal coat of Peri Peri and let the fire do the rest, I served it with an almond cream, finishing with a little bit of freshly grated garlic, sumac, lemon juice and tahini, with a simple salad of tomato, mint, parsley, red onion, cucumber and sliced radish on the side.

I don’t know if I was influenced by my environment or that fact these guys are tricky to shoot or both but it was very tasty…Now it’s time to put this recipe on the menu at the Ducks!