Barramundi with Macadamia Crust

About This Recipe

Barramundi is Australia's prized native fish — mild, buttery, and flaky — elevated here with a crispy crust of crushed macadamia nuts and breadcrumbs, finished with lemon and native lemon myrtle. It brings together the flavours of two of Australia's most beloved culinary ingredients in one elegant pan-roasted fillet.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 4 pcsbarramundi fillets (180 g each), skin on
• 100 gmacadamia nuts, roughly crushed
• 60 gpanko breadcrumbs
• 2 tbspbutter, melted
• 1 tbspDijon mustard
• 1 tsplemon myrtle powder (or lemon zest)
• 1 lemonlemon, zested and juiced
• 2 tbspfresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tbspolive oil
• 1 tspsalt
• 0.5 tspblack pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Make macadamia crust

   Combine crushed macadamia nuts, panko breadcrumbs, lemon myrtle or zest, melted butter, parsley, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Mix until it resembles wet sand.

2. 2

   Prepare fish

   Pat barramundi fillets dry with kitchen paper. Season with salt and pepper. Brush the flesh side (not skin) with Dijon mustard.

3. 3

   Apply crust

   Press the macadamia mixture firmly onto the mustard-coated flesh side of each fillet.

4. 4

   Pan roast

   Heat olive oil in an oven-safe frying pan over medium-high heat. Place fillets crust-side up. Cook skin-side down for 4 minutes until skin is crisp.

5. 5

   Finish in oven

   Transfer pan to oven at 200°C and roast for 8–10 minutes until the crust is golden and the fish flakes easily. Squeeze lemon juice over the top. Serve with steamed vegetables or a salad.

Variations

• •

  Use sea bass or snapper if barramundi is unavailable.

• •

  Add finely chopped fresh chilli to the crust for a spicy version.

Storage

Best eaten fresh. Refrigerate up to 2 days and reheat gently in the oven.