Product of the week – Yellowtail Scad
Yellowtail Scad
Yellowtail Scad | Trachurus novaezelandiae
Other names:
Scad, yellowtail, yellowtail horse mackerel.Family:
Carangidae (trevallies).
Description:
Available wild-caught, it is a free-swimming marine fish found mainly in schools over the inner continental shelf and in estuaries and caught mainly off NSW and Victoria using purse seines, though haul nets and demersal trawls are also used and it’s line-caught in SA. Looks similar to the closely related Jack Mackerel, but smaller.
Season:
Available year round with peaks in NSW and Victoria from January – August.
Size and Weight:
Commonly 300g and 30cm, but can grow to 1kg and 50cm.
Price:
Low priced.
Relations:
Trevallys (including Bigeye, Black, Bluefin, Bluespotted, Diamond, Giant, Golden and Silver Trevallys), Black Pomfret, Darts, Jack Mackerel, Queenfish, Samsonfish, Turrum, Yellowtail Kingfish.
To Buy:
Sold whole; look for lustrous skin, firm flesh, and a pleasant, fresh sea smell.
To Store:
Make sure fish is scaled, gilled, gutted and cleaned thoroughly. Wrap in plastic wrap or place in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months below -18ºC.
To Cook:
Average yield is 35%. Has a strong flavour, medium oiliness and dry, medium-firm flesh with few bones, which are easily removed.
Cooking Methods:
Deep-fry, pan-fry, bake, grill, barbecue, smoke. It is best wrapped in foil or vine leaves if baking or barbecuing, to prevent it drying out.
Goes well with:
Basil, caraway, chilli, coriander, cumin, curry, fennel, garlic, ginger, herbs (such as coriander, dill, French tarragon, parsley, sage, thyme), lemon, lime, olive oil, onion, oregano, sesame oil, soy sauce, tamarind, teriyaki sauce, tomato, vinegar, wasabi, white wine.
Alternatives:
Australian salmon, blue mackerel, mullets, sardines, other trevallys.Imports:
None.Recipes:
Thai-style Sour Orange Curry of Yellowtail Scad & Broccolini >
Post credit | Sydney Fish Market
BARBECUED YELLOWTAIL SCAD WITH PEAS, LETTUCE & BACON
serves 4 as an entree
Ingredients
2 x 200g (7 oz) whole yellowtail scad, tails and fins trimmed
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
40g (1 1/2 oz) butter1 small French shallot, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons bacon lardons
80g 2 3/4 oz / 1/2 cup) fresh green peas
60ml (2 fl oz / 1/4 cup) fish stock
2 large cos
Method
Preheat a flat-top barbecue hotplate to high, or heat a flat stovetop grill pan over high heat.
Score the yellowtail on an angle at 2 cm (3/4 in) intervals on both sides.Brush the fish with the vegatable oil and place on the barbecue or hot pan. Cook for about 1 minute on each side, or until just cooked through. Remove from the heat and leave to rest until serving.
Heat a small frying pan over medium-low heat and add the butter. When the butter is bubbling, add the shallot and bacon, then cook, without colouring, for 2 minutes, or until soft and sweet. Add the peas and fish stock, then bring to the boil. Reduce the heat a little and simmer for 1-2 minutes, until the stock reduces slightly. Fold the lettuce through just before serving.
To serve, place the fish gently on a serving platter and spoon the pea, lettuce and bacon mixture over.
Recipe Credit | Australian Fish & Seafood Cookbook | Susman, Huckstep, Swan & Hodges