Orange Roughy Fillet

Orange roughy from the deep cold water off New Zealand and southern Australia, sold as chilled fillets that have already been skinned and trimmed of bones.

Orange roughy is a slow-growing deep-water fish, and that shows in the flesh: pure white, close-grained and firm, with a mild, slightly sweet flavour and none of the oiliness of a surface fish. The fillets are cut thick, so they hold their shape in a pan and stay moist in the middle rather than drying out at the edges. Because they arrive skinless and boneless, there is nothing to do but cook them.

Why Choose It?

• Deep cold water: caught well below the warm surface layer, which is where the firm, clean-tasting flesh comes from.
• Snow-white flesh: it cooks up white and stays white, which matters for a plated fillet.
• Thick cut: enough depth to get colour on the outside before the centre is over-done.
• Skinned and boned: trimmed by hand, so it goes straight into the pan.
• Mild flavour: it takes butter, herbs, garlic or a light Asian dressing without arguing with any of them.

Cooking Methods:

• Pan-fried: dry the surface, hot pan, oil and a knob of butter at the end to baste.
• Oil-poached: warm oil held below a simmer, turned once — the flesh stays silky right through.
• Steamed: ginger and spring onion, then hot oil and soy poured over at the end.
• Oven or air fryer: on a tray with olive oil, lemon and thyme, hot and quick.
• Battered: a thick white fillet is exactly what a good beer batter is for.

The One Rule:
Take it off the heat early. A thick roughy fillet carries enough heat to finish itself on the plate, and the difference between silky and chalky is about a minute.

Allergen:
Contains fish.

A clean white fillet that makes an easy weeknight dinner look considered. Order now.