Page 73 - Tropic Magazine Issue 18

TROPIC • FOOD

Tropic Chef Challenge

Meet the team at Harbourside Bar and
Kitchen, where the big focus is on local
produce and Queensland ingredients.

Q&A WITH EXECUTIVE CHEF MARCEL STAMMEIER

How much local produce do you use in your menus?
We pride ourselves on our ‘paddock to plate’ and ‘vineyard to Holiday Inn Cairns Harbourside
glass’ food and wine ethos, and a love of great Queensland
produce. We use around 80% local products, with all our meat What are the challenges facing local chefs trying to use|
and seafood being 100% local products including Bingil Bay local produce?
Beef, chicken from the Tablelands and barramundi from the The freshness and consistency, with the weather playing a big
Daintree. We use a lot of small producers and farmers from the role in what’s available. We need more networking between the
Atherton Tablelands like Wondaree macadamia nuts and finger chefs as well, because if we had more chefs come together it’s
limes from Yungaburra. If we can’t source a product locally we easier for the farmer to supply.
still try to source it in Queensland. On the new menu we’ve got
smoked buffalo mozzarella from Vannella Cheese, a Cairns Are there any items of produce you were surprised to discover
company now producing its cheese in Sydney from milk sourced are grown up FNQ?
The micro herb farm is amazing, and they are now doing exotic
from Millaa Millaa. We love Mungalli Creek products as well. mushrooms as well.
Why is it important to use local produce?
Our customers like to know where their ingredients come from Do you have a favourite local food product or item?
The meat from Bingil Bay is just so full of natural flavour. The
and as a chef it’s essential for me as well. I know all our farmers
and how they grow their products, and I like to share the stories way they raise their cattle is special.
behind them with our diners. It’s important to support the local
community and sustainability is another big aspect of it for me. VISIT: Holiday Inn Cairns Harbourside 209-217 The Esplanade

RECIPE
TNQ CRUSTED
BARRAMUNDI

Serves: 2
INGREDIENTS:
400g Barramundi fillet Mashed potato
¼ cup shredded coconut Mountain pepper
¼ cup macadamia nuts Roasted garlic oil
(Wondaree) 1 bunch broccolini
1/8 bunch parsley 2 lemon cheeks for serving
2 finger limes

METHOD: WINE PAIRING
1. Seal off the barramundi fillets (you can use a fry pan or in the oven).
Harbourside Bar and Kitchen prides
2. Mix chopped shredded coconut, macadamia nuts and parsley together. itself on its offering of exclusively
Add the finger lime seeds to the mix. organic and biodynamic wines,
3. When the barramundi is nearly finished, take it out, put it on an oven carefully selected to offer you a
tray and top with the macadamia, coconut, parsley and finger lime mix. food and wine pairing experience
Place in the oven just to roast the mix to a nice brown colour. unparalleled in Cairns. With
4. Mash potato to your liking, but add a bit of mountain pepper and Barramundi, we recommend the
roasted garlic oil. Angove 2018 Organic Sauvignon Blanc.
Made with only the gentlest touch
5. Blanch the broccolini from the winemaker, expect citrus,
6. Char-grill the lemon guava and passionfruit notes that
7. Arrange nicely on the plate, present with balsamic reduction and enhance the flavour of any fish dish.
edible flowers as garnish if you like.

73 • tropicnow.com.au