Kingfish cutlets with mustard + caper compound butter — French bistro elegance from a campsite. The compound butter does all the work — Dijon + capers + cracked pepper softened into butter. Spread on the cutlets before grilling; the butter melts + glazes the fish as it cooks.

15 minutes start to finish. Serves 4. Restaurant-quality with almost no effort.

Photo by Zayed Ahmed Zadu on Unsplash

Serves: 4 · Prep: 5 minutes · Cook: 8-10 minutes · Equipment: small bowl, BBQ grill or hot frying pan

Photo: Zayed Ahmed Zadu / Unsplash

• 4 kingfish cutlets, ~225g each (skin on, ~2cm thick)
• 60g butter, at room temperature
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp capers, drained + chopped
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp cracked black peppercorns
• ¼ tsp ground paprika (sweet or smoked)

Optional add-ins: 1 tbsp lemon zest; 1 tbsp chopped chives or parsley; 1 clove minced garlic; pinch chilli flakes.

To serve: baby new potatoes, fresh dressed greens, lemon wedges, crusty bread.

Substitute fish: any firm meaty cutlet — snapper, mahi-mahi, swordfish, blue-eye trevalla, salmon all brilliant.

1. Make the compound butter. In a small bowl, mash together softened butter, Dijon mustard, chopped capers, salt, pepper + paprika until smooth.
2. Pat fish dry with paper towel.
3. Spread the butter generously on top of each cutlet.
4. Heat BBQ or pan to medium-hot. Brush surface lightly with oil.
5. Place cutlets butter-side UP on the hot surface. Cook 4-5 minutes — until the bottom is nicely seared + the top butter is bubbling + glazing.
6. Flip ONCE. Cook another 2-3 minutes — until the fish flakes easily + flesh is just opaque. Don't overcook.
7. Plate up with the buttery glaze drizzled over. Serve with new potatoes + greens.

• Compound butter is the trick — make in advance + freeze as a log; slice off discs as needed. Brilliant on steak, chicken, vegetables too
• Butter at room temp mashes properly. Cold butter just lumps
• Don't overcook the fish — kingfish is best slightly under, finished by carry-over heat
• Lemon zest upgrade brightens the butter beautifully
• Smoked paprika deepens the flavour profile
• Pan-fry alternative: hot pan + butter side down first for crusty top; flip + finish 2 mins
• Camp version: portable BBQ or pan over coals — same technique
• Wine pairing: dry chardonnay, sancerre, or unoaked Aussie semillon

The 15-minute French bistro fish dinner. Compound butter is the universal flavour shortcut — make a batch + use throughout the week.

Caught a kingfish on the boat? This is the recipe. Sophisticated, classic, easy.