Page 64 - Tropic Magazine Issue 16

LIFESTYLE • FOOD

Tropic chef

challenge

One of the city’s newest
venues, Paper Crane at Riley
is a modern Asian fusion
restaurant and bar. Think
hot and spicy dishes accented
with aromatic Asian flavours,
theatrical open kitchens and
cocktails to quench your thirst.
We get the lowdown from
Paper Crane chef Tyrone Hunt.

How much local produce do you use in
your menus?
Over 80% of our produce comes from
within a three-hour radius of Cairns.
We get our meat and poultry from the Paper Crane chef, Tyrone Hunt
Tablelands, in addition to farming our
own beef from Crystalbrook Station. Are the any items of produce you were
We love the abundance of produce in surprised to discover are grown here
this region and have really enjoyed in the Tropical North?
working closely with small businesses Edible flowers. I genuinely didn’t think
such as Avalon Farm Mareeba with a they would be grown up here!
range of their sauces and Bronnie’s
Gourmet Food with their Well Loved Do you have a favourite local food
Worcestershire Sauce. All of the What are the challenges facing local product or item?
gorgeous edible flowers we use come chefs trying to use local produce? Morganbury Meats in Mareeba. Such
from up the range as well. Trying to balance the fantastic tastes fantastic quality and great to deal with.
Why is it important for Paper Crane to with the value can be challenging, What do you recommend at Paper
use local produce? but more importantly ensuring the Crane?
Diners love to know where their food consistency of receiving the produce on Yellowtail Kingfish ceviche with a
comes from and as a chef in the area I time and of a quality that is expected in surprise rice crunch. To me, this really
really enjoy being able to tell the story a restaurant such as Paper Crane. We is Cairns on a plate.
of the food and the region. In turn, we aren’t afraid to shop around if we have
get to support local small businesses. to, but working with suppliers, farmers
It really gives me a sense a pride in the and growers directly is what we love
region and, of course, our food. to do.

Yellowtail Kingfish ceviche with a surprise rice crunch - Serves 1

Ingredients: To Serve
Easy option for
• 5 slices of fresh Yellowtail Kingfish • Rice or prawn cracker ( )
making at home
Nam jim marinade for Kingfish • 1 tbsp fried shallots
• Juice of 2 limes • 1 tsp fried garlic
• 1 tsp chilli flakes • 1 tbsp nori wrapper thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup chopped coriander • 60 ml coconut cream • Add a flourish of coconut cream
• 1 garlic clove grated • Sprinkle of edible flowers • Sprinkle with fried shallot, fried garlic, nori
• 2cm ginger grated Method: and chilli
• 1 tbsp fish sauce • Slice the Kingfish • Sprinkle with edible flowers and cracker
• 1 tbsp grated palm sugar • Place Kingfish in nam jim for 1 min.
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and to cure MORE: crystalbrookcollection.com
test for balance. Salty, sweet and sour. • Arrange Kingfish on a serving plate

64 • Tropic • Issue 16