Bait to Plate

Kev Collins

Well known Restauranter and co-owner of Fish D'vine & The Rum Bar in Airlie Beach. When Kev's not working he's out fishing in the amazing food bowl of the Whitsundays and Great Barrier Reef Marine Park or in his tinnie in the estuaries crabbing! His blog imparts wisdom, tales and info on all things fishing and food.

Fish & Chip pizza. Is this the first ever?

I have been doing lots of fishing centric blog posts lately, so maybe time for one more about the end game. Sunday lunch is usually an “at home affair” and today was unexceptional, except the outcome. “What do you feel like for lunch honey”, was the question, answered with, “I’m not sure, pizza or fish and chips”. I am a big fan of homemade pizza and also love a good fish and chip meal, so I set out, on a whim, to do both…on the same plate. A “fish & chip pizza”. Has this ever been done? Not much in the world of cookery is unique, Someone, somewhere has done it before but if it was not unique, it was certainly “different” and the result….outstanding. I am sitting at my computer with a glass of Rose and can still taste the favours. Ingredients were simple, Flour, water, yeast and make a bread dough. Potatoes, some of that amazing big coral tout I caught yesterday. Some olive oil, rosemary from the balcony garden, some salt and pepper and I had “fish & chip pizza. The pictures will outlay the process but make a pizza base, drizzle with olive oil, layer with pre-cooked wafer thin potato (get yourself one of these  mandolins…gold),drain and pat dry potatoes after cooking, then then they are layered over the pizza with a little olive oil,  arrange a few thin sheets of fresh coral trout (other good white fish will do if you must). Some rosemary, cracked pepper, good flaked sea salt (like Maldons), another drizzle of oli and then let a smoking hot pizza stone and good BBQ do the rest. I love throwing a few rosemary stalks on the BBQ to create some smoke and a nice “wood fired” flavour to any pizza. This was not only easy but an absolute taste sensation and I am hard pressed as to remembering the last time I enjoyed a better Sunday lunch (& I’ve had a few). I have included an instructional “how to” if you want to have a go. The last 2 photos have little to do with the food. One was a matter of inspiration and other was “ Mo” saying , “where’s mine”. Try this. You will love it and it will never be on the menu at work.