Red Emperor with mushrooms

Red emperor is king of the tropical snapper family, and a great table fish, especially when pan-fried.

Red emperor is king of the tropical snapper family, and a great table fish. With its firm, flaky flesh it shines when pan-fried with crisp skin.

RED EMPEROR WITH MUSHROOMS & YOGHURT

40g butter

1 tablespoon plain yoghurt

4 × 200g fillets, skin on, pin-boned

2 tablespoons rice flour

80ml ghee

Vegetable oil

8 Swiss brown mushrooms,

cut in half

Sea salt and black pepper

1 teaspoon chopped chives

Lemon oil, to serve

First, make a beurre noisette (nut-coloured butter). Heat a small, heavy-based frying pan over high heat. Add butter - it will quickly melt and turn a golden, nut-brown colour. Remove from heat and pour immediately into a cold bowl. Put yoghurt in a small bowl. Gently fold through cooled butter, then set aside at room temperature.

Preheat a cast-iron grill pan or heavy-based frying pan over high heat. Place fish fillets on a work surface and dust skin sides with rice flour. Lay each fillet flesh-side down on a sheet of baking paper large enough to cover the fillet.

Heat a separate large cast-iron or heavy-based frying pan (or two smaller pans - the fish must not be overcrowded in the pan) over medium-high heat and add ghee.

When pan is hot and ghee translucent, place fillets in pan, skin side down, leaving paper on the flesh side. Place a 1kg weight - such as a heavy pot or another pan - on top of fillets (this will prevent them from curling) and cook for 4 minutes, lifting the weight once or twice then moving the fillets gently around the pan so they don't burn.

Reduce heat to low. Remove weight and paper; using a spatula, gently flip each fillet to quickly seal the other side. Remove pan from heat and set aside for fish to rest for 1 minute.

When fish is nearly cooked, add a splash of vegetable oil to hot grill pan. Cook mushrooms on both sides for 3-4 minutes, until golden but still firm. Transfer to a bowl and season well with salt and pepper.

Place fillets on serving plates. Top each with a quenelle of yoghurt and sprinkle with chives. Add mushrooms; finish with a few drops of lemon oil and a little salt and pepper. Serves 4

Stephen Hodges is a Sydney-based chef.

Australian Fish & Seafood Cookbook by John Susman, Anthony Huckstep, Sarah Swan and Stephen Hodges (Murdoch Books, $79.99, is out October 1.) Photography: Ben Dearnley.