freshwater fish

Barramundi

An increasingly popular fish with chefs and home cooks, Barramundi is as delicious as it is easy to prepare. Barramundi is a tropical fish, but we grow it right here in Victoria in a state-of-the-art aquaculture centre.

It is a native of the tropical waters to Australia’s north and its range extends right up into Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent. It is known globally as Asian Sea Bass, but in the 1980s it was renamed with the indigenous word ‘Barramundi’ from the Darambal and Gangalu indigenous people from the Fitzroy River, west of Rockhampton. Today a whopping 60% of Barramundi consumed in Australia is raised on foreign fish farms in Asia.

Victorian Barramundi is raised on a farm at Wyndham in Melbourne’s west and sold under the brand Infinity Blue. The fish are grown in warm spring water that is naturally heated by geothermal springs fed from an ancient aquifer that links Hepburn Springs and the Peninsula Hot Springs. Free from industrial or biological pollutants, it helps the fish achieve a mild and sweet flavour. Harvested year round at plate size, the Barramundi have a natural layer of fat under the skin which means the fish are consistently succulent.

SEASON:
All year round

Look out for Victorian Barramundi on restaurant menus. It could be called Wyndham Barramundi or Infinity Blue Barramundi. Melbourne customers can go to the farm gate at 73-79 Lock Avenue, Werribee 2 pm-5 pm Thursdays. You can order fresh fish and smoked fish online with weekly deliveries to Metro Melbourne and large parts of Regional Victoria. In the market, look for plump-looking plate-sized fish with bright silver skin and clear eyes. Fillets should have bright skin and the flesh should appear creamy white with some darker-coloured lines of flecks. There should be a fine layer of fat under the skin. Tightly wrap fresh fish in plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 3 days. Freeze below -18°C for up to 6 months.

Barramundi has a soft, sweet, delicious flesh and skin that crisps to perfection. Small Barramundi are perfect to steam, perhaps with soy and ginger and a little sesame oil or bake whole. Make a paste of salt and egg white, coat the fish in this and bake to make salt crusted barramundi. Use skinless fillets and sous in fresh lime juice and coconut milk for South American ceviche. Cook fillets in a Thai green curry with loads of fresh turmeric. Pan fry fillets by drying the skin with paper towel and placing skin side down on a hot oiled pan. Press with fish slice to make sure the skin is making contact and to stop the fillet from curling up. After 3 minutes, flip, season, cook for 2 minutes, flip again and serve with steamed vegetables. Barramundi can also be deep fried in goujons or small strips in a tempura batter and served with a tartare sauce.