Our Drummoyne Chef, Stephen Hodges, has been an iconic part of the Sydney food scene for 15 years and has finally released a cookbook packed full of seafood goodies! This recipe is one of many delicious Australian Fish and Seafood recipes. Enjoy!

SERVES 4

Ingredients:

  •  1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 800 ml extra virgin olive oil
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 4 mirror dory fillets (from 2 whole fish), skin on, ribcage removed
  • 3 tablespoons rice flour
  • 80 ml ghee
  • 2 large vine-ripened tomatoes, each cut into 8 wedges
  • 4 large radicchio leaves, torn
  • Chips to serve
  • 1 lemon, cut in quarters, to serve
  • Tomato sauce (ketchup), to serve

Method:

Make a dressing by whisking together the lemon juice and olive oil with a little salt and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.

To prepare the dory fillets for pan -frying with crisp skin, lay them on a work surface and dust the skin sides with the rice flour. Place each fillet, flesh side down, on a sheet of baking paper large enough to cover the fillet.

Heat two large cast-iron or heavy-based frying pans (these are large fillets and it’s essential that the fish is not overcrowded in the pan) over medium-high heat and divide the ghee between the two pans. When the pans are hot and the ghee is translucent, place the fillets in the pans, skin side down, leaving the paper on the flesh side. Place 1 kg weights – such as a heavy pot or another pan – on top of the fillets and cook for 2 minutes, lifting the weights once or twice then moving the fillets gently around the pans so they don’t burn.

Remove the paper, gently flip the fillets using a spatula and quickly seal the flesh side. Mirror fillets are thin and become dry if overcooked, so remove them from the pans once sealed and immediately transfer to serving plates. (Cooking times may vary depending on the size of the fish from which the fillets were cut)

Quickly toss the tomato, radicchio, watercress and lettuce in a bowl with the dressing. Serve the dory fillets with the chips and salad, with lemon quarters and tomato sauce (if using) on the side.

NOTES:

  • The recipe works well with any dory. If you have one large pan, cook the fillets in two batches. Keep the first batch warm while you cook the second.