Snapper Head Croquettes

These snapper head croquettes are a moreish entrée that is sure to be a crowd pleaser. Utilising the meat from snapper heads and frames, and the broth produced during cooking, means this dish helps you make the most of your catch.

Ingredients

• 500g snapper frames, heads and wings on 
• 2L water 
• 1 onion
• 1 bay leaf 
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 50g butter
• 50g flour
• 2 eggs
• 200g breadcrumbs
• Garden herbs (ideally fresh parsley and dill)
• Salt to taste 
• Pepper, freshly cracked 
• 1 lemon zest and juice 
• Tartare or aioli sauce

Method

1.    Add snapper, onion and bay leaf to a medium pot, cover with water and simmer for 20 minutes.

2.    Carefully remove the fish and pick the meat off the bones, reserving the liquid. Set meat aside (no bones!).

3.    Strain the liquid through a fine sieve.

4.    In a pot, add the butter and melt until there’s no colour, then add flour and cook until you achieve a blonde roux (biscuity smell). 

5.    Slowly whisk in your hot fish broth a little at a time to avoid lumps, add your fish meat, lemon zest, finely chopped garlic, and chopped herbs. 

6.    Allow to cool, then shape into little meatball size rounds (roughly 40g each).

7.    Set up a crumbing station with the following order: seasoned flour, then whisked eggs, and finally breadcrumbs.

8.    Crumb your fish balls one by one keeping one hand dry and the other wet.

9.    Shallow fry in rice bran oil until golden outside and hot inside.

10.    Serve with a fresh lemon and zesty tartare or aioli.

- Recipe by Tristan Abbott, @everybodyeatsnz
Friend of The Kai Ika Project