Manu’s Crispy Snapper Tacos Recipe

Published on 02 July 2026

Manu Feildel shares his delicious fish taco recipe, as seen on TVNZ's Off the Grid with Colin and Manu.

Serves: 2-4

Ingredients:

  • 1 filleted snapper fillet cut in four pieces
  • Crushed cornflakes
  • 1 egg, whisked
  • Salt and pepper

Tacos:

  • Four small soft tacos
  • Watercress
  • Sliced avocado
  • Lemon juice

Method:

Season each piece of fish with salt & pepper.

Coat the pieces of fish in the whisked egg.

Roll each piece of fish in the crushed cornflakes.

Cook on hot BBQ plate until crispy and cooked through.

Place avocado and watercress in each soft taco.

Add the cooked fish and drizzle with lemon juice.

Award-winning chef Dean Thompson from Schnappa Rock cooked alongside Colin and Manu during filming. "Manu's tacos are exactly the sort of food I love to cook and eat," says Dean. "It's the perfect meal after a day out fishing in Northland. Quick to prepare, delicious to eat, and packed with flavour. When you've got fresh snapper straight off the boat, you don't need to do much to make it special."

"Watching Colin and Manu cook was a real nod to Northland and the way we like to cook at Schnappa Rock. It was all about keeping things simple, using fresh local ingredients and letting the fish do the talking. They treated the seafood with real respect. There was no need to overcomplicate it, just good techniques, fresh produce and confidence in the quality of the ingredients."

"Meeting Colin and Manu, and having them visit Schnappa Rock and Tūtūkākā, was definitely a career highlight for me. As a chef, it was pretty special to cook alongside people you've watched and admire. But just as importantly, it was an opportunity to show them a part of New Zealand that I'm incredibly proud of. Being able to share Tūtūkākā, our local seafood and a bit of genuine Northland hospitality was something pretty special."

The Whangārei episode of TVNZ's Off the Grid with Colin and Manu originally aired on 12 July 2026 on TVNZ 1 and is available to watch on TVNZ+. Discover their itinerary and recipes at the links below.

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