Try this dish with gurnard or blue cod (these will take a little longer to cook than terakihi).

Recipe: Ruth Pretty Photos: Murray Lloyd

INGREDIENTS

6 tablespoons butter
750g button or portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced
½ teaspoon flaky sea salt
pinch freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons cream
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
1-1.5kg terakihi fillets, skin off
¾ cup fresh breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons roughly chopped lovage, Italian parsley or chopped inner celery leaves
lemon wedges to serve

METHOD

Put 2 tablespoons of the butter and the mushrooms in a large frying pan over high heat and fry for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and liquid has evaporated.

Add salt and pepper, another 2 tablespoons of butter, the cream and horseradish. Stir well and remove from heat.

Season the fish with salt and pepper and sprinkle with breadcrumbs on one side.

Preheat oven to 180°C. Place a large grill plate or one or two large frying pans over a medium heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Lightly grease a low-sided baking tray with baking spray.

Working in batches, cook fish briefly on one side, turn to crumbed side and cook until crumbs are golden brown but fish is not cooked through. Lay fish out on the prepared baking tray, crumb side up and, just before you are ready to serve, put the tray in the oven and bake for 2-4 minutes or until cooked through.

Spoon mushrooms onto individual plates or a platter and arrange the fish on top. Sprinkle with the fresh herbs. Accompany with lemon wedges. Serves 8

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