Māori / Aotearoa · III The Pantry
Hapuku / Groper — NZʻs Deep-Water Champion
I
Origin
NZ Seafood
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Description
Hapuku (Polyprion oxygeneios, NZ groper/grouper) is the most prized eating fish in NZ — the equivalent of Hawaiian onaga or ʻopakapaka. Deep-water, long-lived, firm white flesh with a clean, sweet flavour. It is the cornerstone of NZ fine dining fish courses. Logan Brown, Ortega Fish Shack, and every serious NZ restaurant features hapuku. The fish is now being sustainably farmed in NZ (a world-first for the species).
III
The Thread
—Hapuku is to NZ fine dining what ʻopakapaka is to Hawaiian fine dining. Same role, different ocean.
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Flavour Context
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