Blue Warehou
Seriolella brama
Other Names
Black trevally, sea bream, snotgall, snotgall trevally, snotty trevalla, snottynose trevalla, Tasmanian trevally, trevally.
Family
Centrolophidae (trevallas).
Description, Location, Habitat and Harvesting Information
Available wild-caught, it is a bottom-dwelling marine fish found around the southeastern coast, including Tasmania, mainly on the continental shelf and upper slope to 300m (though juveniles are found free-swimming and among jellyfish tentacles) and caught mainly off southeastern Australia using gillnets, demersal trawls and Danish seines.
Season
Available year round with peaks from June to September.
Size and Weight
Commonly 1-2kg and 35-45cm, but can grow to 7kg and at least 80cm.
Price
Medium priced, though commands a better price than other Warehous.
Relations
Silver Warehou (with more slender body and small dark spots), White Warehou (greyish whitish body), Blue-Eye Trevalla, Endeavour Dogfish, Roughskin Dogfish, Rudderfish. Should not be confused with Wahoo, a member of the Mackerel family.
To Buy
Sold whole (gilled and gutted), and as fillets, usually skinned. In whole fish look for lustrous skin with a slippery, mucilaginous coating, firm flesh, and a pleasant, fresh sea smell. In fillets, look for off-white to yellowish, firm, lustrous, moist flesh without any brown markings or oozing water and with a pleasant fresh sea smell. Roe, smoked and fresh, is also available.
To Store
Make sure whole fish is scaled, gilled, gutted and cleaned thoroughly. Wrap whole fish and fillets in plastic wrap or place in an airtight container. Refrigerate for 1-2 days or freeze for up to 3 months below -18ºC. It spoils quickly and the flesh easily becomes soft if handled poorly.
To Cook
Average yield is 50%. Has a medium flavour, low-medium oiliness and slightly dry, medium-textured flesh with good sized flakes and few bones, which are easily removed. Remove dark flesh from along the sides of fillets for a milder flavour. Score whole fish at the thickest part of the flesh and cut thick fillets into serving-size portions to allow even heat penetration.
Cooking Methods
Steam, poach, deep-fry, pan-fry, stir-fry, bake, braise, grill, barbecue, smoke. It is best wrapped in foil or banana leaves if baking or barbecuing, to prevent it drying out.
Goes Well With
Chilli, citrus, cream, curry pastes, garlic, fennel, herbs (such as coriander, dill, oregano, parsley, French tarragon), horseradish, olive oil, onion, tamarind, tomato, vinegar, wine.
Alternatives
Blue-eye Trevalla, Morwong, Pearl Perch, Silver Trevally, Silver Warehou.
Imports
Chilled and frozen product, whole and in fillet form, is imported from New Zealand.
Recipes