SPECIES

King Dory

Cyttus traversi

One of the deepest-dwelling members of the highly vaunted Dory family, the King Dory also possesses one of the most protrusible mouths in seafood, capable of extending nearly a third of its own length and drawing in litres of water along with whatever prey it was targeting.

Usually sold filleted, in summer the flesh is very similar to John Dory - opaque white when cooked, slender and lean. In winter, King Dory develops squiggly veins of fat between the fillet and the bones that melt away when they hit a hot pan. Because of this, King Dory is a fish to get especially excited about during the coldest months of the year.

A good method to cook this fish is pan fried, flesh side down first, letting the fat render before flipping and finishing on the skin. You won’t need to add any butter or oil as the fat in the fillet is more than enough to get the job done. Another ideal method is to roast a tray of winter vegetables, and with a few minutes left, place the fillets on top of the tray. They won’t take long to cook and pair well with a variety of flavours.

DIVE DEEPER

COMMERCIAL NAME

King Dory

Method of Capture

Trawl

Region

Southern Australia

Other names

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

Scientific Family

Cyttidae ('Australian' Dories).

Seasonality

Available year round, peaking in quality in winter.

Size

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

Price range

Medium priced.

Alternative Species

Other Dories or Oreodories, Flounder, Sole, Whitings.

ROLL UP YOUR SLEEVES

SHOPPING TIPS

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.

STORAGE TIPS

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.

COOKING TIPS

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.

Flavour pairings

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

IMPORTS

None.
Find similar species by tag
Find similar species by tag
Find similar species by tag

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