After all my ranting about sustainable fishing I’m at a loss for words on this one. It turns out this bluenose sea bass, while sustainable, isn’t local, much to my disgust.

I know, the deal is is it sustainable right? Yes, but in the same breath it is nice to know I’m supporting our local fisheries. So how did I come about this particular fish, in a nutshell, bad timing.

I found myself in the city bowl and in need of fresh fish in a hurry, as shared The Little Fisherman is my fish monger of choice these days, but they are over in Constantia and I just wasn’t going to make it out there.

I stopped into a well known fishery in Woodstock on my way home, one whose praises I have indeed sung before, and who many of the Cape Town’s top restaurants source their fish from, I was truly disappointed.

I asked for a local, sustainable fish similar to sea bass in texture/taste, the staff there then sold me a fish known as ‘bluenose’, but for the life of me I couldn’t find it mentioned on their SASSI poster, which is WAY out of date.

Upon returning home I did a bit of digging and found out that bluenose IS a sea bass, indigenous to the coastal waters around Australia & New Zealand. It is a deep sea fish and is trawled, being a bottom dweller. My heart broke as trench trawling does immeasurable damage to the ocean seabed and I had unconsciously support it by buying this poor fish.

What this experience has shown me is that you need to find an honest and reputable fish monger and establish a relationship with them and if you do find yourself out of your own waters, don’t impulse buy, do some research first. Needless to say I won’t be returning to the aforementioned fishery… With that off my chest, lets get to the recipe.

This dish is amazing, oven grilled/baked fish atop a pea and bean basmati rice, fragrantly infused with spring onions, chilli, coriander, cumin, garlic, ginger and coconut milk.

The fish was scaled and pineboned, but I left the skin on, keeping in most of the juices. Both sides were then scored and rubbed down with a mix of salt, pepper and a mild curry powder.

The fish was then plated up atop of the rice mix and garnished with fresh spring onions and a mango atchar.

Despite my emotion wobble over the origin of the fish, it was a delicious meal and I can’t wait to try it again with some locally sourced yellowtail.