Recently I got the chance to go out on the Mures fishing boat the Kiella to film some footage for a TV commercial they have coming up.

We left from Hobart at about 2pm and headed for the Continental Shelf. It was the first time I had been a bit sea sick without being hungover – I don’t think watching Who Wants to be a Millionaire in a little rolling cabin helped. We set the lines during the night and picked them up first thing in the morning.   The fishing was a tad slow but winter isn’t really the time of year for trevalla and it was too rough to get to the good spots.

After we had hauled the lines one of my mates picked me up in his boat because the Kiella was staying out for a few days. Before I left for this trip I strategically dropped my tuna gear off to his house so we could have a fish on the way home.  20mins after we had but the lines in we had 3 bluefin on board so headed in to some calmer water to clean them. Tom told me that was his first ever bluefin, so I said “You know you have to eat the heart of your first bluefin?”. After a bit of convincing and telling him that I ate the heart of my first bluefin he ate it. SUCKER! I felt bad so tried a bit too – wasn’t great.

Anyway I didn’t really take many photos this trip so here is a few clips of coming back through Tasman Island and Cape Pillar to show how rough it was. The boys were surfing Shipstern Bluff the same day.

So after this trip I thought it was appropriate to do a trevalla/blue-eye recipe. This is my take on a fairly traditional Swedish fish stew. In the photo you will see I made it with tarragon dumplings (which were nice) but I think it was nicer just with some fresh bread and butter.

Ingredients:
1/2 a Leek Chopped
1x Clove of chopped garlic
1/2 Cup Sliced Fennel
6x Baby Carrots
1x Stick Celery Chopped
1x Knob of Butter
1x Tbs Fresh Thyme
1x Cup Fish Stock
1x Cup Cream
1x Cup White Wine
2x Bay Leaves
Zest and Juices of 1/2 Lemon
20x Strands of Saffron
400g Trevalla Cubed (1″)
White Pepper and Salt to Season

Method:
1. Soften leek, carrots, fennel, celery, and thyme in butter in a heavy pan. Then add the garlic and bay leaves and up the heat and add the white wine, saffron and fish stock and simmer til the carrots are tender. Season to taste.
2. Add the cream and bring back to the simmer then add the trevalla and turn off the heat.
3. Serve with crusty bread.

Serves 2.