Available wild caught, it is a bottom-dwelling marine fish found mainly on the continental shelf and upper slope commonly between 50-200m and caught mainly as bycatch of inshore trawling and Danish seines off the south-eastern coast of NSW and Victoria, with some off Tasmania, SA and southern WA. Its skin is silvery-pink and, unlike some other Dories, rough to touch; it also has a more elongated body than most other dories. It is endemic to Australia.

DIVE DEEPER

COMMERCIAL NAME

Silver Dory

Method of Capture

Region

Other names

Bastard Dory, Red Dory, Sun Dory.

Scientific Family

Cyttidae ('Australian' Dories)

Seasonality

Available year round with peaks from June to January.

Size

Typically 400g-900g and 30-45cm, but can grow to 1.5kg and 50cm.

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 2 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

Chilled whole John Dory and frozen or chilled John and Mirror Dory fillets are imported from New Zealand. Basa, a freshwater farmed catfish imported from Asia, is sometimes marketed as ‘Pacific Dory’, though it is unrelated to the Dories.

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INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chardonnay vinegar Salt flakes and freshly ground white pepper, to taste
2 golden shallots, very finely diced Rock salt, for serving
 12 freshly shucked Sydney rock oysters Chervil sprigs, for garnishing

METHOD:
Whisk together oil, vinegar, salt and pepper and stir in shallot.