Advice on cooking tarakihi please

carlos57, Feb 2, 2:09pm
Last time I cooked tarakihi, I used my favourite fish recipe (which I usually make with red cod or hoki), which is to bake it with a herby crumb topping. However, it didn't turn out as well as usual. I'm wondering if tarakihi doesn't suit this type of recipe, or whether it's likely that I slightly overcooked it. Advice please, as I have some tarakihi to cook tonight.

valentino, Feb 2, 2:48pm
I keep it simple as this fish is nice on its own without much else added though the following recipe is used a lot especially with Tarakihi.

Pan-fried fish
( SERVES 2 )

2 Fish fillets, such as snapper or any other fresh fish

1 cup Flour, for dusting

2 Eggs

2 Tbsp Butter

1 Lemon, cut into wedges to serve

Ingredients
Directions
1. Season the fish with salt on both sides then dip into flour, shaking off the excess.
2. Whisk the eggs then pour into a shallow dish.
3. Heat a large frying pan until hot, then use tongs to dip the fish into the egg, completely coating the fillets on both sides.
4. Add the butter to the pan, allow to melt, then add the fish. Cook until golden on both sides and serve on hot plates with wedges of lemon and simple butter sauce (see below).
Simple butter sauce for the fish
Once the fish is out of the pan, add an extra Tbsp butter, cook until it begins to bubble and go brown, add 1 Tbsp lemon juice and 1 Tbsp chopped parsley, some freshly ground pepper (capers are also great) and spoon over the cooked fish.

awoftam, Feb 2, 2:59pm
I do what valentino does but I cook the fish in butter without the flour and egg coating. I add capers to the burnt butter sauce.

carlos57, Feb 3, 12:26am
valentino, I used your recipe and it was delicious. Many thanks.

valentino, Feb 3, 2:22pm
Thank you for your feedback.

It is nice to share things but is great when you know it is appreciated.

Cheers to you carlos57

wasgonna, Feb 3, 4:36pm
I just dip in beaten egg and then fresh homemade breadcrumbs. Put on plate and in fridge for a while to stop coating from falling off when cooking.

Heat up oil in frypan and fry both sides until golden brown. I don't use butter in oil as I find it makes it greasier than when in oil only. Never bake as usually overcooks.

I eat a lot of Tarakihi as it doesn't fall apart like snapper (which is only better if cooked immediately after catching.

molly37, Feb 3, 5:06pm
I do exactly the same. Yum

lythande1, Feb 3, 5:52pm
I crumb it and fry in butter. That's it.

valentino, Feb 3, 8:24pm
The fish ideal with the breadcrumb method is Gurnard.

I add a wee bit of Lemon Pepper to the breadcrumb.

Cheers

beaker59, Feb 6, 11:42pm
Terakihi is a really nice fish, not unlike snapper. It suits almost every style of cooking so I am surprised that it doesn't perform as well as Hoki in particular which is quite similar if fresh and well looked after. Red cod is a finer softer grained fish so would be a tad different though I would rate Terakihi better in every style of cooking. So I guess you may have got a poorer fillet or something else wasn't right I wouldn't blame the Terakihi as such.

I have always liked them but my favourite story was on a dive trip 30 yrs ago when I managed to spear a few terakihi and another guy on the trip managed to get heaps of crayfish he swapped crays one for one with my Terakihi a deal I still rate as one of my best negotiations :)

buzzy110, Oct 27, 3:49am
I don't like crumbs. I think they overpower the flavour of the fish which is delicate. If pan frying I just use rice flour then eggs and pan fry in medium hot duck fat till the outside is browned.

My current favourite is to eat whole with no wastage. I scale, gut and cut off fins by the gills and most of the tail. Leave the head on to prevent loss of juices. Make 3 or four diagonal slashes on both sides, lightly salt, lightly sprinkle with Japanese red pepper mix (shichimi togarash? spelly) and put dobs of ghee on top. Place on a sheet of baking paper in a baking dish but do not cover. Bake 20mins at 170C. Comes out so succulent and tasty. Serve and pour the juice in the pan onto the fish. I'd never go back to fillets if I had a choice.