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King Dory

Cyttus traversi

Species

Dories

Description

Available wild caught, it is a bottom-dwelling marine fish found mainly on the upper continental slope commonly between 500-600m and mainly caught as bycatch of Blue Grenadier trawling off the south-eastern coast of NSW and Victoria, with some off SA and WA as far north as Exmouth. Its skin is silver and, unlike some other Dories, rough to touch.

Other Names

Horsehead, Lookdown Dory, McCulloch's Dory, Shadow Dory.

Family

Cyttidae ('Australian' Dories).

Season

Available year round.

Size and Weight

Typically 1.5-3.2kg and 40-55cm, but can grow to 65cm and 6kg.

Price

Medium priced.

Relations

None

To Buy

Sold mostly in fillet form, fresh and frozen. In fillets, look for yellowish-white, firm, lustrous, moist flesh without any brown markings or oozing water and with a pleasant fresh sea smell.

To Store

Make sure whole fish is scaled, gutted and cleaned thoroughly. Wrap whole fish and fillets in plastic wrap or place in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze whole fish for up to 6 months, and fillets for up to 3 months, below -18ºC.

To Cook

Average yield is 35%. Has a mild flavour, low oiliness and moist, medium textured flesh with fine flakes and few bones, which are easily removed. The edible skin can be left on.

Cooking Methods

Steam, poach, deep-fry, pan-fry, bake, grill, barbecue. Fillets are thin and, to protect them when barbecuing or grilling, best wrapped in foil or banana leaves.

Goes Well With

Butter, citrus, fresh herbs (such as chives, coriander, dill, French tarragon, parsley, thyme), olive oil, white pepper, white wine.

Alternatives

Other Dories or Oreodories, Flounder, Sole, Whitings.

Imports

None.

Recipes

Mexican Fish Picnic Pies
Fish, Capsicum & Tomato Pot Pies
Pan-Fried John Dory with Orange, Parsley & Date Salad
Blackened Mirror Dory with Lime Butter