Josh Niland uses his experience working in a French restaurant in Sydney to create a pissaladiere in which he substitutes latticed sardines for anchovies to tame the salf-forward dish. Photo by Rob Palmer.

Many countries and cultures across the world make a conscious effort to use the whole animal in cooking. Australian chef Josh Niland would love home cooks to see fish as more than a sum of their fillets. He discusses how privilege has led a majority of consumers to use boneless and skinless products, which make up roughly 50% of the animal. He suggests inquiring about ground tuna, mackerel, or swordfish at the fish counter for lasagna and meatballs. In Niland’s new book, “Take One Fish,” he schools readers on using different components of the fish, from small anchovies to the mighty tuna.

Pissaladière and pichade de menton  Serves 4 

I fell in love with these two tarts while working in a Niçoise-style restaurant a number of years ago. It was far too difficult to decide which to include in this book, so I thought I’d do both. Traditionally from Genoa in Liguria, pissaladière is made with caramelised onion, olives, salted anchovies and a focaccia-style bread, while pichade de menton is similarly adorned but the caramelised onion is replaced with a base of slow-cooked tomatoes. Both are packed full of umami and are universally loved. 

I decided to use fresh sardines here instead of salted anchovies. I know! Not exactly traditional, but I find the bright minerality and clean flavours of fresh sardines actually balance the dish better. I’ve also replaced the bread with a sour cream pastry, which gives a rich, slightly soft centre where the toppings sit but also has crisp, buttery edges. The pastry shell can be prepared ahead, as can all the toppings, so break down the recipe into individual tasks during the week and share these tarts with loved ones on the weekend. Serve with a simple salad of dandelion and pink lady apple, or make them into bite-sized portions for a glamorous canapé option. 

Sour cream pastry Makes 450 G (1 LB) 

This pastry can be made in advance and stored in the freezer. Depending on the recipe, you can either thaw it before use or bake it straight from the freezer. 

Snapper baked in salt pastry  Serves 4 

This is the simplest way to bake a whole snapper with show-stopping results. Once mastered, you can vary the technique with myriad flavours and species, or even the pastry (which is not edible here), but the most critical thing is the resting time after baking. As you can imagine, there is a lot of heat trapped within, and allowing this residual heat to work its magic results in perfectly cooked fish that comes easily off the bone. 

There is a big difference between a fish being cooked and being overcooked. When cooking on the bone, there is a sweet spot where the flesh decides to give way off the bone and the natural gelatine and fat are still present. After this moment a fish will start to lose moisture, which ultimately gives it its texture, flavour and appearance. You can always cook a fish a little more if necessary, so always err on the side of underdone for a fish like snapper. 

Aussies love a good, savory pie. Josh Niland creates his version of a fish pie using the whole animal. Photo by Rob Palmer.

Recipes excerpted with permission from “Take One Fish” by Josh Niland, published by Hardie Grant Books, August 2021.

In the follow-up to his James Beard Award-winning cookbook, Australian chef Josh Niland schools home cooks on how to get the most from various fish. His latest work is “Take One Fish.” Photo courtesy of Hardie Grant.

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