The food world is full of illusions. A banana tree, for instance, is not a tree. It’s actually a herb. Pumpkin is a fruit, and peanuts are legumes. It’s nuts.

Similarly, Murray cod, native to Australia and endemic to the Murray-Darling Basin, is not a cod at all. It’s a freshwater perch – and one of the world’s largest at that.

“It’s confusing, particularly for any Pom seeking the mild fish and chip favourite of the Northern Hemisphere,” says John Susman of seafood consultancy Fishtales. “It’s a uniquely Australian fish, and the skin cooks up like pork crackling.”

Early last century, the Murray cod almost faced extinction. Wild populations were dramatically affected by a mix of dryland irrigation that destroyed their habitat and competition from the newly introduced carp – a fish with no culinary or cultural value.

It means the only Murray cod you’ll be consuming today is exclusively and sustainably farmed – mostly sold live in sizes ranging from 600g to 1kg.

It’s a good thing, because the Murray cod is arguably our greatest eating fish.

The big barrel-shaped fish has a huge mouth and small eyes set well forward on  its head. It has a creamy yellow-to-white belly and olive-to-blue and even yellow/ green skin on top.

As an apex predator, it will eat anything from ducks and crayfish to other fatty fish and prawns, and it’s about as interested in exercise as a sloth is about getting out of bed. It means it has an incredible fat content retained through most of the flesh.

“The flesh is brilliant white, juicy and rich with a broad flake and a creamy, mild flavour like lightly cooked cabbage with hints of buttered mushrooms and potato,” says Susman.

The mild-flavoured fatty flesh suits classic Cantonese steamed whole fish preparations, but is at its best when roasted whole over fire or in a pizza oven, or filleted and cooked with a crisp skin.

“Don’t be afraid to overcook it; the robustness of the skin and fat content help it retain its moisture,” says Susman, “and you really don’t want to undercook a Murray Cod.”

BUYING

Whole live fish should be dispatched at purchase, buried in ice, then gilled, gutted and scaled. If not cooking on the bone, fillet before you cook as the flesh oxidises quickly.

STORING

Wrap in muslin and place in an airtight container with a layer of ice on the bottom and the fish resting on a drip tray. Seal and place at the bottom of the fridge.

COOKING 

Roasted whole, pan-fried.

CATCHING METHOD

Farmed only.

SUBSTITUTIONS

Barramundi, Bass groper, coral trout, hapuka.

ACCOMPANIMENTS

Tomato,  basil, olives, anchovies, chilli.