How you guys cook ya dhufish?

As it says how do you guys like to cook your dhu fish? I have been cookin fillets of dhufish with butter in the pan lightly dabed in flour then just a bit of garlic and bit of lemon once cooked. Tastes delicious but just keen to know some new methods, thanks marko


carnarvonite's picture

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Date Joined: 24/07/07

Dhufish

Tue, 2010-09-28 17:17

I have a couple of pet hates, ones is spices etc on food and the second is coating things in breadcrumbs.

 

Why do some people add spices to a top fish while cooking I don't know. All you are doing is giving yourself something that tastes like what ever you put on it and nothing like its original flavour, you might as well get some absolute rubbish andpour spice on it, shut your eyes and pretend you're eating something out of this world.

Most of the excellent fish we catch have their own fine taste so why destroy it ?

 

Used to work in a butcher shop before all the large supermarkets became all the rage, we used to cover yesterdays tray of cheap steak or cutlets in breadcrumbs so they were easier to sell because they now looked better than having dark patches on it.

Even now some 30 plus years later I still baulk at anything covered in crumbs.

 

Just put your fillets in to a hot frypan with a little butter not margarine  and make sure you don't over cook it which is so easily done.

hlokk's picture

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Date Joined: 04/04/08

Lemon and pepper snapper or

Tue, 2010-09-28 17:44

Lemon and pepper snapper or cajun dhufish taste a lot better than lemon and pepper sambo or cajun herring. Though I dont load them with spices so much that you cant taste the original fish. The spices just enhance the dish and give it more flavour. Though I dont always use spices.

As for crumbs. Sometimes it is nice to have crumbed fish (reminds me of chicken :p) just cause thats what I feel like eating. Bite sized tasty morsels, yum. Also, you can do with panko crumbs, not regular crappy stale packet crumbs. Plus then you can do fancy dipping sauces like japanese mayo and wasabi, or homemade aioli.

A good fish wont need anything more than itself, but that doesnt mean anyone who adds spices doesnt appreciate (or loose taste of) the flavour of the fish ;)

 

 

As for cooking, my number 1 tip is cook it until its *just* done. I just cut into it until it goes from somewhat pinkish to a translucent white colour (before going full white). Especially important for dollies, but makes demersals tasty and moist.

Also, one method I have (which produced the best piece of fish i've ever had) is to put butter and garlic in a pan, lightly coat fish in lemon and pepper (lightly), put lemon juice in the pan, then cover with a lid (pref glass). Cook on a low heat and turn over when needed (if needed). It kinda steams and panfrys the fish and comes out really nice if you cook it til just done.

Another method i've been trying lately is pouring cream over and getting a cream reduction sauce. yum yum.

Also, tuna is nice through an italian tomato sauce with fresh basil and good pasta.

UncutTriggerInWA's picture

Posts: 2692

Date Joined: 05/09/08

A sprigg of Dill helps heaps also

Tue, 2010-09-28 17:58

I know some of you hate herbs and spices etc but just look at what they do on the TV cooking sites in top restraunts. Some additives just make the dish sing so to speak. I agree that with Due you need to use butter and pan fry to perfection. A Due is a prime cut so to speak and should be prepared with a high degree of thought. A decent butter sauce when dishing up is a great way to make it happen. Slices of lemon on the plate are a MUST IMO. All very simple really Cool. Overcooking will ruin anything no matter what the quality of the raw material.

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Work smart and fish often.
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Bodie's picture

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Date Joined: 05/11/07

carnarvonite i agree, in the

Tue, 2010-09-28 17:37

carnarvonite i agree, in the fry pan with a bit of butter, a little salt and away you go

However Ive foudn some asian bread crumbs which are actually pretty good, very light and tasty.

I too didnt like bread crumbs too much until i found these ones!

grayzeee's picture

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Date Joined: 09/07/09

i knew you would say that

Tue, 2010-09-28 17:38

i knew you would say that carnarvon. Laughing

i have caught nothing but dhueys recently and the taste does get old when constantly cooked the same way, so i have been doing the egg and flour  , and yes even garlic breadcrumbs with parmesan shaved on top to melt , all fryed in real butter. (salt and pepper the pan while butter is melting

if the fish is good , then don't overpower it , but subtle extra's are good in my book

beautiful.

 

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If I spent half as long fishing , as I do reading this bloody forum , I'd be twice the fisherman I am. 

sunshine's picture

Posts: 2549

Date Joined: 03/03/09

Agree BUT

Tue, 2010-09-28 17:40

I crust mine with fresh breadcrumbs mixed with lemon and lime zest freshly grated and a smidge of freshly ground black pepper

It compliments rather than detracts from the fish - oh an I like thick fillets - almost steaks, take them off the stove before they have cooked all the way through and finish in a hot oven for just a couple of minutes

Fragrant juicy flesh - served with mixed salad and roasted mixed vegetable wedges and a Howard Park Reisling (only special occasions it is too expensive for daily quaffing) 

Stunning !  

Lamby's picture

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Panko Baby!

Tue, 2010-09-28 17:47

Panko Baby!

DazSamFishing's picture

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Date Joined: 19/08/09

I've been beer battering a

Tue, 2010-09-28 19:20

I've been beer battering a lot of my dhuie lately. That's purely because I've got so much of it - experimenting is important IMO.

My beer batter recipe follows:

1/4 cup cornflour

1/2 cup plain flour

1/2 self raising flour

1 stubby of premium aussie beer (I use james boags premium)

pinch of salt.

Chill the batter (I put it in the freezer for half an hour (just before it freezes))

Make sure you use a combination of hot oil & cold batter. The results will be sensational.

I usually dish this up to all my mates that visit. They have never come across anything better!

Mitta79's picture

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Dhuie wrapped in proscuito

Tue, 2010-09-28 20:18

Baked in the oven for 15-20mins served with home made wedges and salad.

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Date Joined: 21/02/08

Whilst I'd agree with

Tue, 2010-09-28 20:28

Whilst I'd agree with Carnarvonite on breadcrumbs, he really should eat at Ozlobster's FIL's place in Jurien. Its the only way he cooks fish and he is the master at it. Must try panko one of these days though;)

 

I don't like to drown the flavour of fish with what I cook it with, I'm not scared of spices and herbs, just vegetables.

 

Check this recipe, its a winner for any white fish fillet. Its pretty low on spices, its really just about the fish.

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JohnF's picture

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Date Joined: 07/07/10

I usually rotate between

Tue, 2010-09-28 20:48

I usually rotate between straight on the BBQ with a bit of salt and pepper and a dash of butter......secret is to JUST cook it as others have said. Then, I usually deep fry the next lot in beer tempura batter.....I have found this to be best of all....use tempura batter mix from the packet, but dont use water, use cold beer. Tried all sorts of home mafe ber batter but the tempura is much lighter and crunchier and the beer makes it tasty!

 

Big dhuy tends to be a bit caorse at times but excellent in beer batter....smaller dhu and bald chin groper really are just too good to put in batter........

 

Try small sambo or amberjack in beer tempura batter....if JUST cooked it really is top shelf!!!!!

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Boston Whaler 235 Conquest......getting the flogging it was built for.

Faulkner Family's picture

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Date Joined: 11/03/08

as far as the top table fish

Tue, 2010-09-28 21:05

as far as the top table fish go, its the kiss method. keep it simple and stupid. lightly dust in flour and pan fry in butter. 2nd quality fish on the other hand can be inhanced with a bit of lemon pepper, batter or creamy lemon or garlic sauce. no need to spoil the natural flavor of a good fish.

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RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together

Dreamtime's picture

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Date Joined: 21/09/09

this is gettin my mouth

Tue, 2010-09-28 23:06

this is gettin my mouth watering... im goin to cook me a juicy fillet now Tongue out

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Date Joined: 15/12/09

Straight on the bbq hotplate

Wed, 2010-09-29 16:17

Straight on the bbq hotplate with a bit of butter and maybe a dash of beer(optional)

roberta's picture

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Date Joined: 08/07/08

I'm not a

Thu, 2010-09-30 08:58

fish eater, so I usually kill it with garlic powder.  But must agree Carnarvonite old fart loves his fish al la natural, cooked in butter either in a frying pan or bbq.

ME

home made breadcrumbs or Japanese, garlic/salt/pepper/chili powder.  Mix all ingredients with some olive oil, pat onto fish fillet, then either fry or bbq plate, goes nice and crispy with garlic/chili through, yummy and I can't taste the fish hahaha, this is good on squares of squid, put into rack that clips down, then grill on bbq.

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Ginger Tablets Rock

 

dallasthedog's picture

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Date Joined: 22/04/09

i scale the dhu before i

Thu, 2010-09-30 12:23

i scale the dhu before i skin it - i then fillet and skin (retaining the skin) - fry dhu in olive oil and butter - put skin in half way through - plate perfectly cooked fillet and very crispy skin - back into pan goes more butter, squeeze of lemon (no seeds) and dash of water - cook to thicken then chuck in fresh finely chopped parsly and dill and spoon sauce over fish - serve with potatoe, green bean and olive salad - voila