Lemon myrtle fish cakes

This recipe is adapted from one which first appeared in the book, ‘Wild Lime’, by Juleigh Robins (published Allen & Unwin), which seems to be out of print at the moment, but your local library or secondhand bookstore might have it. This book is a superb reference on native bush foods, and is filled with interesting recipes. We’ve changed some ingredients and the method, but the results are still delicious.

1 kg firm fish fillets
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 small red onion, chopped
2 teaspoons dried and ground lemon myrtle
1 egg, lightly beaten
ground black pepper, to taste
juice 1 lemon
1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs
1/2 cup plain flour
1 teaspoon dried and ground lemon myrtle, extra
peanut oil, for frying

1. Put the fish fillets, garlic, onion, 2 teaspoons lemon myrtle, egg, lemon juice and black pepper into a food processor and whizz until blended to a paste. Then sprinkle on the breadcrumbs and whiz a few seconds more, until well combined. Scrape the fish paste into a bowl.
2. Mix together the plain flour and extra lemon myrtle powder, then use a dessertspoon to scoop out dollops of fish paste, form each into a flattish pattie, then roll it in the spiced flour.
3. Heat a frypan then add enough peanut oil to cover the pan, then cook the fish cakes in small batches for about 3-4 minutes each side, until golden brown. Let each batch drain on paper towels while you cook the rest.
4. Serve with a garden salad and a bowl of Thai sweet chilli sauce on the side.

Thai Beef Salad

When using kaffir lime leaves in this recipe, slice them into the finest little strips you can manage. Throw away the central vein from each leaf. Chopping and preparing the ingredients for the salad dressing will take a while, so do that bit first. Cooking the steaks doesn’t take long at all.

Serves 4

500g rump or fillet steak
spray-on oil

SALAD DRESSING
1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves, chopped
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
1 fresh red chilli, deseeded, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
4cm piece fresh ginger, peeled, grated
1/4 cup fish sauce
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind
1/4 cup lime juice
1 tablespoon grated palm sugar
1 tablespoon white lemon grass stalk, chopped finely
4 fresh kaffir lime leaves, very finely sliced

SALAD
100g rocket leaves, washed, drained
100g baby spinach leaves, washed, drained

1. Prepare all the salad dressing ingredients first, combining everything except the rocket and baby spinach leaves in a bowl.
2. Heat a barbecue, griller or griddle pan to high heat, then spray the steak with oil and cook for 3-4 minutes either side. Remove from the heat, put on a plate, cover with foil and let the meat rest for 5-10 minutes. Then place the meat on a cutting board and slice it very finely. It should still be pink in the middle.
3. Combine the rocket and baby spinach leaves in a bowl, and toss. Add the meat strips, and toss again.
4. Arrange the beef salad on four serving plates, then drizzle the salad dressing over the top, and serve immediately.

Lemon Myrtle Cheese

The Charles Sturt University Cheese Factory in Wagga Wagga, NSW, makes
a number of excellent cheeses using Australian bush tucker flavours,
including lemon myrtle.

Barry Lillywhite, from the Charles Sturt University Cheese Factory,
says they call their cheeses 'Bidgee' cheeses (named after the
Murrumbidgee River, which flows through Wagga Wagga).

Barry says the lemon myrtle Bidgee cheese is a bit softer than a
cheddar, has a lemony, zesty flavour, and leaves your palate feeling
nice and clean after you've eaten it. Other flavours in the range
include bush tomato, native mint, alpine pepper and forest berry.

This cheese is available for around $32 per kg from leading
delicatessens around the country. And you can also buy it direct from
the Charles Sturt University Cheese Factory in Wagga Wagga.

For more information, visit their website at:

http://www.csu.edu.au/enterprise/cheese

or phone (02) 6933 2170.

Copyright CTC Productions 2008