Fish

Snapper head croquettes

Name: Fish croquettes recipe
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 35g plain flour; 2 eggs, lightly beaten; 100g breadcrumbs; Vegetable oil, to deep-fry; Lemon wedges, to serve; 1 tsp black peppercorns; Handful parsley stalks (see notes); 1/2 onion (see notes); 1.6kg snapper heads (see notes); 20.00 ml soy sauce; 1 small eschalot, finely chopped; 1 bunch chives, finely chopped; 3/4 tsp gochugaru (Korean chilli flakes); 40.00 ml flaked almonds; 40.00 ml extra virgin olive oil; 2 tsp smoked paprika; 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper; 140g roasted capsicum strips; 1 roma tomato, chopped; 1 long red chilli, trimmed; 1 large garlic clove, sliced; 20.00 ml sherry vinegar

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by Jason Staudt

CHEF

Aug 13, 2023

“Fish heads are, more often than not, just discarded. But the gelatine from fish heads holds the croquettes together so well, plus they’re packed full of flavour. Together with romesco, you have the perfect combination. The meat on the fish head has the most gelatine, so it’s actually the most tasty; anything that’s cooked on the bone takes a lot of flavour from the bone. There’s so much meat around the neck, the collar and the cheeks. You just pick and play.” – Jason Staudt

1/4 cup (35g) plain flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups (100g) panko breadcrumbs
Vegetable oil, to deep-fry
Lemon wedges, to serve

Snapper croquettes

1 tsp black peppercorns
Handful parsley stalks (see notes)
1/2 onion (see notes)
1.6kg snapper heads (see notes)
1 tbs soy sauce
1 small eschalot, finely chopped
1 bunch chives, finely chopped
3/4 tsp gochugaru (Korean chilli flakes)

Spicy romesco

2 tbs flaked almonds
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
140g roasted capsicum strips
1 roma tomato, chopped
1 long red chilli, trimmed
1 large garlic clove, sliced
1 tbs sherry vinegar

Method

1.

For the croquettes, fill a large pot with water, add peppercorns, parsley and onion and bring to the boil. Add snapper heads and top with a small plate to keep fish submerged. Remove from heat and stand for 5-6 minutes. Transfer fish to a plate to cool slightly, drain and discard liquid, or keep liquid to use as a light stock for soups.
2.

When cool enough to handle, pick out meat, trying to avoid flaking it into smaller pieces. Discard skin and bones. Place 400g meat in a large bowl with remaining ingredients and 2 tsp salt flakes. Gently fold to combine. Line a small container with baking paper and press fish mixture into it, making sure it is tightly packed. Top with baking paper and a weight to compress it. Refrigerate for 4 hours or until firm.
3.

For the spicy romesco, preheat oven to 170°C/150°C fan-forced. Line a small baking tray with baking paper. Mix almonds, oil and spices in a small bowl. Spoon onto prepared tray and roast for 7 minutes until aromatic and golden. Using a slotted spoon, transfer almonds to a small food processor.
4.

Increase oven to 200°C/180°C fan-forced. Place capsicum, tomato, chilli and garlic on same tray and toss in oil to coat. Roast for 15 minutes. Transfer to processor, making sure to get all the flavoured oil from the tray. Add vinegar and whiz until smooth. Season.
5.

Turn fish mixture out onto a work surface and cut into 4cm pieces. Place flour, egg and breadcrumbs in 3 shallow bowls. Dust fish in flour, shaking off excess, then dip in egg, then breadcrumbs. Chill for at least 1 hour to set the crumb.
6.

Add enough vegetable oil to a medium saucepan to come up to a depth of 6cm. Heat until 180°C (a cube of bread will turn golden in 60 seconds). Deep-fry croquettes, in batches, for 2 minutes or until deep golden. Drain on paper towel.
7.

Serve snapper croquettes with spicy romesco and lemon wedges alongside.

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Recipe Notes

You’ll need about 3-4 snapper heads to get 400g cooked meat. To poach the fish, use whatever herbs you have. You can also swap the onion for eschalot or leek. The romesco sauce makes about 1 cup and can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks in the fridge. It’s great with roasted vegetables or to give toasties a kick.