By Christine Salins.
Nearly 70% of seafood eaten in Australia is imported, a figure that would surprise many Aussies, especially when you consider that we produce some of the best seafood in the world. But although there’s a growing commitment to buying Australian, it’s hard to do so if you don’t know where your food comes from.
Since July 2018, it has been mandatory for food sold in retail to be labelled with its country of origin. However, seafood sold in foodservice – restaurants, cafés, pubs etc – was excluded from the legislation.
With the legislation currently up for review, and with submissions closing on September 11, the industry’s peak body, Seafood Industry Australia (SIA), is actively lobbying to have the legislation expanded to include seafood sold in foodservice.
SIA’s interim chief executive, Veronica Papacosta, says most imported seafood is consumed in the foodservice sector where it had been demonstrated that the current voluntary labelling system didn’t work.
“It is important to note that we do not want to vilify imported seafood. There is some excellent seafood coming into Australia which is already being enjoyed by consumers,” she said. “We simply believe that consumers should be provided with the same level of information in a restaurant as they are at the fish counter so they can make an informed choice.”
Papacosta said experience in the retail sector had shown that the “wheels didn’t fall off” when country of origin labelling was introduced. Indeed, it had been found to have improved the level of communication and trust between retailers and customers.
The Government’s online review survey is open for comment until September 11. SIA has prepared a suggested response to the survey and has created a social media tile for consumers to share. It has also published a simple Fish Finder directory to help consumers buy Australian seafood online or direct from retailers.
The recipe here is from the Sydney Seafood School, at the Sydney Fish Market, which is included in the Fish Finder directory. Increase or decrease the amount of chilli, capers or lemon to suit your taste.
Spaghetti with Crab, Lemon & Chilli
Serves 6 as an entrée
500g spaghetti
½ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 red onion, finely diced
Salt flakes, to taste
1 teaspoon sambal oelek (see note)
2 tablespoons salted capers, rinsed
1 lemon, zest finely grated, juiced
200g cooked crab meat (see note)
½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add pasta, stir well and continue boiling, stirring occasionally, until it is al dente (cooked, but still retaining a ‘bite’ in the centre).
Meanwhile, heat oil in a large frying pan over low-medium heat, add onion and a good pinch of salt, cover and cook for a few minutes, until soft but not coloured. Remove from heat. Stir in sambal oelek, capers, lemon zest and lemon juice, cover and set aside.
When the pasta is cooked, drain, reserving some of the cooking water.
Return frying pan to the heat and add pasta, Crab meat, parsley and a splash of the pasta cooking water and toss together for a few minutes to combine well. Divide between warmed serving bowls, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and serve immediately.
Note: Sambal oelek is an Asian paste of salt and chillies. Substitute 1 small red chilli finely chopped if you prefer.
Pick meat from 1 x 800g cooked Mud Crab, 2 x 300g cooked Blue Swimmer Crabs or 2 x 400g Spanner Crabs. Alternatively, buy good quality frozen Australian crabmeat such as Ceas (Queensland Spanner Crabs); check it carefully for any remaining bits of cartilage or shell and drain it well. Be aware that most other frozen crab meat is imported and can be quite watery when thawed. Remove crab meat from fridge about 30 minutes before you start cooking, to allow it to come to room temperature. Alternatively, you could use cooked prawns.
Recipe courtesy of Sydney Seafood School at the Sydney Fish Market.
