Grilled Hapuku Flaps

Kaelah James shares a recipe for grilled hapuku flaps...

This recipe is a great way to utilise those parts of the fish that otherwise get thrown away. Wild passionfruit or banana passionfruit is an invasive weed that can be found growing along coastal areas, roadsides, and forest margins. The fruit is delicious and tastes very similar to passionfruit. You can substitute with normal passionfruit or passionfruit dressing instead of banana passionfruit.

Ingredients:

• Hapuku collar, scaled

• 1/2 cup butter, softened

• 3 Tbsp fresh herbs (dill, parsley etc.)

Dressing:

• 1 Large lemon, halved

• 2 wild passionfruit, halved, or 1/4 cup passionfruit topping

• 1 cup grapeseed oil

• 1 tsp dijon mustard

• 1 tsp honey (leave out if using passionfruit topping)

• Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:

1) Dice fresh herbs and combine them with softened butter. Spread the herbed butter all over the hapuku collar.

2) Heat smoker or BBQ to medium heat, and place collar skin side down onto a well-oiled grill. Place lemon halves flesh side down and passionfruit halves facing up on the grill.

3) Put the cover down and cook for 15mins or until hapuku skin is nice and crispy.

4) Remove lemons and passionfruit from the grill.

5) Carefully turn the collar over and cook for a further 6-8 mins, then carefully remove and set aside onto a serving dish.

6) In a blender, squeeze the juice of smoked lemons and passionfruit with the rest of the dressing ingredients and whizz until smooth.

7) Pour dressing over hapuku collar, sprinkle with fresh herbs and serve immediately.

March 2023 - Kaelah James
New Zealand Fishing News Magazine.
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