Looking for more affordable seafood? You have to try the 'fish equivalent of chicken thighs' - ABC Everyday

Branching out and trying new foods can be a daunting experience, especially when it comes to seafood.

But going bolder at the fish shop can mean extra cash in the pocket without sacrificing taste.

Captain Darwin Grant Barker says most Australians eat only a fraction of the more than 5,000 species of fish in our waters, with many of the lesser-known varieties of seafood little secret.

“Bream and Robinson pearls come to mind. They may be some of the best dinner table fish in the country, but most people don’t realize it. People in the industry … but the general public doesn’t know it,” Grant said.

He said there was a generational reluctance to venture away from safe classics like salmon, barramundi and snapper, which meant shoppers were choosing from small schools of fish, pushing demand and prices up.

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Fish species worth trying

Seafood producer and former chef Umar Nguyen said the list below comprises some of the best but underutilized fish species available. He says everything is good but very disliked.

“Most of the time, [consumers] won’t buy something because they don’t know what it is or they are afraid,” Umar said.

In addition to great taste and value, eating neglected fish species can help reduce overfishing and improve marine sustainability.

Here are some delicious options to look out for at your local fishmonger:

Dusky tail grouper

• It has a very light yet sweet taste similar to other groupers with large, thick flakes.

Red Snapper

• The flesh is firm and scaly, usually white or light pink in color. Light in taste. This fish has some bones, but it is large and easy to remove.

Long nose emperor

• Soft white flesh fish that peels well. A long nose means the yield is less than your average fish, but the price point makes it still worth it.

red emperor

• Smooth in taste with large flakes. Flesh white, moist. Eat well with dead or alive skin. You can also cook wings. The wings are fatter, richer and tender than the fillets.

Moses perched

• Flesh white, dense. Found in the Northern Territory and North Queensland. Nice table eats.

The black-tailed grouper (far right) is similar to eating reef trout and with large chunky flakes.(ABC Landline: Pip Courtney)

Have you tried the wings?

Brisbane fishmonger Neil Voijka says fish wings are usually disposable items, which he says is a waste because of his belief that wings are the fish equivalent of chicken thighs.

“It’s a lazier muscle with more fat and because it’s cooked over the bone it tastes better,” says Neil.

Neil says cooking something different like fish wings for a dinner party makes for an interesting conversation starter.(Provided: Neil Voijka)

Like many in the industry, Neil says the many fish that can be caught here in Australia will be celebrated in other parts of the world.

He says it all comes down to education.

“I’ve been promoting it for 15 years and have loyal customers who buy it because they trust me,” says Neil.

Luckily for Neil’s customers, the prices are right, too, with red emperor wings selling for $14 per kilo compared to fillets for $90 per kilo.

Neil shares this delicious fish wing recipe with us below. He said it was a hit with his kids at home.

Neil says the best way to eat fish wings is with a crunchy leafy salad that uses fresh oranges and mustard as a simple dressing.(Provided: Neil Voijka)

Recipe: Red Emperor Crispy Fish Wings

1. 1.Neil uses roasted macadamia nuts for the crumbs, saying that “the unripe seeds don’t seem to be ripe enough at a time when the wings tend to be overcooked”. He says using macadamia adds a deeper, spicier flavor.
2. 2.Slightly season each wing with sea salt, then dry with cornstarch. Dip the fish wings in the egg mixture so that the macadamia nut crumbs adhere well to the wings.
3. 3.Preheat the oven to 170 degrees Celsius and set the wings in the refrigerator for twenty minutes or so. This will help the crumbs “set” onto the outside of the meat. These can be crushed the day before before cooking too.
4. 4.Grease a non-stick pan liberally with a tablespoon of butter and oil, then transfer the wings to the pan, turning gently to allow the butter and oil to coat the wings.
5. 5.Depending on the size of the wings, they will take anywhere from 30 to 50 minutes to crisp and ripen.
6. 6.Neil said he would place the smaller wing at slightly higher heat (forced 190C fan) compared to the larger wing (forced 170C fan) for about 50 minutes.
7. 7.The skin should be crispy in the oven. You know it’s done when the flesh comes off smoothly, and the wings themselves, from the tips, are crispy, like fish chips. Yummy!

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