Threadfin Salmon

At Broome airport several hours ago, I had a little chuckle at a sign at the checkout. "No mangoes or fresh fish allowed on planes." I fully understand the need to travel with both mangoes and fresh fish and have as done as much myself. In fact I was regretful of having neither with me, the only reason being that I was having to overnight in Darwin rather than fly direct to Alice Springs. But then I was also a little relieved as I would have tearfully had to throw the produce out.

If I had smuggled a fish back to Alice Springs, it would have been threadfin salmon. I have only eaten threadfin salmon in Broome, and both times it has been extremely fresh and a fantastic meal. Several days ago I ate Chilli Fish in Djarindjin community (200kms north of Broome), made with threadfin salmon. I love the dense and dry quality of the flesh, which is very suited for a range of cooking applications. I have as yet not sourced the recipe, but have adapted a Donna Hay recipe.

What I have found out about threadfin salmon is that it lives in the northern waters of Australia, from Fraser Island in Queensland up to the Kimberley in Western Australia. You can buy threadfin salmon in Alice Springs from a couple of the butchers, and it seems to come from Darwin. Of course, it is frozen. It costs around $25/kg, so it's a bit cheaper than other fish. It has a firm flesh, low oil content and is good for a range of cooking applications.