Species
Species
Description
Available wild-caught, this deep-water, bottom-dwelling marine fish is found mainly on the continental slope at depths of 300 to at least 1,200m off the southern coast of Australia between Brisbane (QLD) and Geraldton (WA), and usually caught as bycatch of trawled fish, but also sometimes by droplines.
Other Names
Deep-sea Cod, Ghost Cod, Googly-eyed Cod, Common Mora, Morid Cod, Giant Cod.
Family
Moridae (Morid Cods).
Season
Available year round.
Size and Weight
Commonly 1.5-5kg and 40-70cm, but can grow to 45kg and 183cm.
Price
Medium priced.
Relations
Giant Cod, Schmidt's Cod and Smallhead Cod (all also marketed as Ribaldo) and Southern Rock Cods (Bastard Red Cod, Bearded Rock Cod, Largetooth Beardie, Red Cod, Slender Beardie).
To Buy
Sold mainly as skinned fillets or trunks. In trunks look for lustrous skin, firm flesh, and a pleasant, fresh sea smell. In fillets, look for white, firm, lustrous, moist flesh without any brown markings or oozing water and with a pleasant fresh sea smell.
To Store
Make sure trunks are scaled, gilled, gutted and cleaned thoroughly. Wrap trunks and fillets in plastic wrap or place in an airtight container. Refrigerate for no more than 24 hours as flesh turns soft quickly, or freeze for up to 3 months below -18ºC.
To Cook
Average yield is 25-30%. Has a mild flavour, medium oiliness, very soft, moist flesh and few bones, which are easily removed. If cooking whole, score trunks at the thickest part of the flesh. Cut thick fillets into serving-size portions to allow even heat penetration.
Cooking Methods
Steam, poach, deep-fry, pan-fry, stir-fry, bake, braise, grill, barbecue. When fresh, the flesh holds together well in soups, curries and casseroles.
Goes Well With
Butter, chilli, citrus, garlic, herbs (dill, parsley, French tarragon, thyme), olive oil.
Alternatives
Dories, Lings, Oreo Dories.
Imports
Chilled product, mainly in fillet form, is imported from New Zealand.
Recipes
Ribaldo & Sweet Potato Fish Cakes with Dill Sauce