How To: Cook Kingfish

Having a wife that loves cooking means that I never even go near the kitchen. Not that I ever did in my bachelor days, because there was a great take away store just around the corner. The guy who ran the place knew my needs so well I didn’t even have to place an order. Just walked through the door and flicked my finger, like you do at an auction. Within two minutes a delicious feast would be prepared – half a chicken and chips, large bottle of Passiona, and 20 Peter Stuyvesant. Happy times!

So, I’m totally out of the loop when it comes to food prep. But I love eating fish or any type of seafood, and that will never change. What has been a surprise is the number of people aboard this summer who don’t eat fish of any kind. Just last Thursday nephew John was telling me he doesn’t like the taste. Coincidentally, a week or so ago, I was listening to Kaj Busch on Al McGlashan’s radio show talking generally about this issue. I’ve never met Kaj, but you hear nothing but good things about the bloke.

So I paid attention while he described a way of cooking kingfish, for the fussy eater. It didn’t sound too complicated or expensive so this weekend I gave it a go. What follows is not for anyone who knows their way around a spatula. It is for unimaginative fishos like myself who would consider a bit of extra cooking effort to be worthwhile- as long as very little energy and/or expense was involved.

Firstly, you’ll need to purchase two items. Panko are Japanese breadcrumbs, $3.50 for a good size bag. Then you’ll need a tub of duck fat, or better goose fat. Cost ten dollars, about ten meals from the one little tub. Start by pouring yourself a coldie, because you need to be in a relaxed state of mind to cook well. Fillet your kingie, skin the fillet, then cut the meat into little medallions:

Pour the panko into a bowl, and dust the medallions:

While this is happening, have the duck fat heating up in the pan. Treat yourself to another cold one, this cooking is thirsty work. Pop the little kingie steaks into the hot pan until you judge they’re ready. Then serve with lemon wedges and something light and simple – in our case potatoes, cucumber and tartare sauce. Pour yourself a tall cold one, to wash it down:

Tasty? You betcha. Able to turn a fish avoider, into a fish fancier? Too right.

Pour yourself a large cold one, to celebrate your contribution to humanity.

Dig out that box of cigars your brother-in-law gave you last Christmas and fire one up, you've earned it.

Your wife will love you for taking charge of the kitchen, too.

Cheers, Cookin’ Andy