John dory

A white-fleshed sea fish found in European waters, John Dory (also known as St Peter's fish), is an odd-looking creature with an oval, flat body and a large, spiny head. The white, boneless, meaty flesh is firm and flavoursome and can be cooked in a variety of ways: grill, sauté or poach it. It’s popular with chefs because it goes well with a wide variety of ingredients and flavourings and the bones from its head make an excellent stock. If you like sole and turbot then you’ll like john dory

Ingredients

 * 2 red onions, thinly sliced using a mandoline
 * 16 asparagus spears, woody parts removed, thinly sliced using a mandoline
 * 4 red chillies, halved, seeds removed, thinly sliced
 * 1 orange
 * 4 x John Dory, about 500g/1lb 2oz each, gutted, filleted and skinned
 * sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the dressing
4 tbsp verjuice


 * 4 tbsp olive oil
 * 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
 * 1 tbsp honey
 * 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
 * 2 tbsp chopped mint leaves

Direction

 * 1) Preheat the grill to high.
 * 2) Put the red onion, asparagus and chillies in a large bowl. Finely grate the zest of the orange and add to the salad. Cut away the peel and pith (white part) from the orange and cut out the segments from between the membranes; add to the salad and toss to combine.
 * 3) Season the fish all over with salt and pepper, then lay on the grill tray. Place under the grill for 3 minutes, then turn the fillets over and cook the other side for 3 minutes.
 * 4) Meanwhile, for the dressing, whisk the ingredients together in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Just before serving add half of the dressing to the asparagus salad and toss lightly. Taste and add more seasoning if required.
 * 5) To serve, divide most of the salad between warmed plates. Place a grilled fish fillet on top, arrange the remaining salad on the fish and drizzle over the reserved dressing. Serve immediately.

Ingredients

 * olive oil for drizzling
 * 50g/1¾oz butter
 * 1 lemon, zest only
 * 2-3 fat garlic cloves, thinly sliced
 * 1 large John Dory (around 1kg/2lb 4oz,) cleaned and gutted
 * 3-4 bay leaves
 * 100ml/3½fl oz white wine or vermouth
 * 300g/10½oz mussels, cleaned, de-bearded
 * 8 langoustine, raw shell-on
 * salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

 * 1) Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
 * 2) Line a large roasting tin with foil, leaving plenty of overlap so you can create a tent around the fish and shellfish. Drizzle the foil with olive oil and add a few small knobs of butter and scatter with half of the lemon zest and garlic. Season the fish inside and out. Place a small amount of the remaining lemon zest, garlic and a bay leaf inside the fish. Place the fish on top of the seasoned foil, cover with the remaining lemon zest, garlic and bay leaves and pour over the white wine or vermouth, then drizzle with a little more olive oil.
 * 3) Bring the foil together over the fish and fold over the edges to seal and make an airtight tent. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
 * 4) Discard any open mussels that do not close when given a sharp tap. Remove the fish from the oven, open the foil and add the mussels and langoustine. Dot with more butter, then reseal the foil and return to the oven for 5-10 minutes, until the fish is cooked through and the mussels have opened. Discard any mussels that haven’t opened. Serve with the buttery juices spooned over.

For the tandoori masala spice mix

 * 50g/1¾oz cumin seeds
 * 3 tsp coriander seeds
 * 2 tsp cloves
 * 2 cinnamon sticks
 * 2 tsp ground ginger
 * 2 tsp garlic granules
 * 2 tsp red chilli powder
 * 2 tsp ground turmeric
 * 2 tsp mace
 * 2 tsp salt

For the steamed razor clams

 * 1 shallot, thinly sliced
 * 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
 * 1 carrot, peeled and diced
 * 1 leek, green parts only, finely sliced
 * 100ml/3½fl oz white wine
 * 4 razor clams, cleaned
 * 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
 * 125g/4½oz cold butter, diced

For the John Dory

 * 2 tbsp olive oil
 * 150g/5½oz John Dory, cut into 4 pieces

To serve

 * 400g tinhearts of palm, roughly chopped
 * 1 Little Gem lettuce, 4 leaves separated and remainder roughly chopped
 * 20g/¾oz fresh chives, finely chopped
 * 1 tbsp olive oil
 * 4 pink grapefruit segments
 * sea salt

Method

 * 1) For the tandoori masala spice mix, dry roast the cumin, coriander, cloves and cinnamon sticks in a frying pan over a low heat until they begin to release their aroma. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. Grind the ingredients in a coffee grinder to make a smooth powder and stir in the rest of the spice mix ingredients.
 * 2) For the razor clams, place a large saucepan over a high heat and once hot, add the shallot, garlic, carrot, leek, wine, clams and oil. Cover with a lid and steam for 30 seconds. Take off the heat, remove the razor clams with a slotted spoon and place in a container to chill in the fridge. Pass the cooking liquor through a sieve and set aside.
 * 3) When razor clams are chilled, take off their shells, discard the skirt and wash off any brown parts. Slice thinly and set aside the razor clam shells.
 * 4) Bring 50ml/2fl oz of the razor clam liquor to the boil. Slowly add the cold, diced butter and use a handheld blender to create an emulsion.
 * 5) For the John Dory, heat the oil in a frying pan and sauté the fish skin-side down until cooked through and crisp. Leave to cool slightly. Mix 1 tablespoon tandoori spice mixture, 1 tablespoon water and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small bowl (the rest of the mixture can be stored in an airtight container for up to 6–8 weeks). Brush the fish with the tandoori paste.
 * 6) To serve, warm the sliced razor clams, palm hearts, half of the chopped lettuce and the chives in the razor clam emulsion in a saucepan. Mix the remaining lettuce with olive oil and sea salt and place in the reserved clam shells. Serve with the tandoori fish, palm hearts mixture, pink grapefruit segments and whole Little Gem leaves.

For the green spice paste

 * 50g/2oz fresh mint leaves
 * 50g/2oz fresh coriander leaves
 * 50g/2oz baby spinach leaves
 * 10g/½oz ginger, peeled, roughly chopped
 * 2 green chillies, roughly chopped
 * 1½ tsp ground fenugreek seeds
 * 2 tsp chaat masala (a mixed spice powder available at some Asian grocers)
 * 1 tsp red chilli powder
 * ½ tsp salt
 * 2 tbsp gram flour (chickpea)

For the John Dory

 * 4 fillets John Dory
 * 2 tbsp lemon juice
 * ½ tsp salt
 * 4 tbsp vegetable oil
 * 2 tbsp butter

For the apple salad

 * 1 tbsp olive oil
 * 1 tbsp finely chopped red onions
 * ¼ tsp toasted coriander seeds, crushed
 * ¼ tsp toasted cumin seeds, crushed
 * 1 tsp black sesame seeds
 * 2 medium size Queen Cox (or similar) apples, cut in 6x1x1cm/2½x½x½in batons
 * 1 tsp lime juice
 * ½ tsp curry powder
 * 2 tbsp mayonnaise
 * ½ tbsp finely chopped mango chutney
 * 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint leaves

To serve

 * mixed baby (micro) cress

Method

 * 1) For the green spice paste, put all the spice paste ingredients into a food processor and blend to a paste.
 * 2) For the John Dory, marinate the fish in a mixture of the lemon juice and salt for five minutes, to drain any excess moisture.
 * 3) Pat the fish dry and place into the green spice paste and marinate for 40 minutes.
 * 4) Heat a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the oil, Scrape any excess marinade off the fish, then add to the pan, skin-side down. Fry for one minute then turn the fillet and fry the other side for two minutes or until fish is cooked through. Add the butter to the pan and baste the fish with the juices then remove it from the pan and place on a plate lined with kitchen paper to soak off any excess fat.
 * 5) For the apple salad, heat the olive oil in a small frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onions and fry for 1-2 minutes, to soften. Add the coriander, cumin and sesame seeds and fry for a further minute then add the apple batons, lime juice and curry powder. Cook the apples for one minute then add the chopped mango chutney and the mayonnaise. Remove from the heat and sprinkle over the chopped mint.
 * 6) To serve, place the warm apple salad in the middle of a warmed plate, place the fish on top and garnish with mixed baby (micro) cress.

For the confit turnips

 * 75g/2½oz butter, diced
 * 500g/1lb 2oz turnips, peeled and grated, then squeezed in a clean tea towel, juice reserved
 * 2 tsp caster sugar
 * 8g/¼oz salt
 * large pinch finely crushed black pepper
 * 1 bay leaf
 * 1 tsp thyme leaves

For the turnip milk sauce

 * 900ml/1½pt milk
 * 300g/10½oz turnips, peeled and chopped into 1cm/¼in pieces
 * 200ml/7fl oz double cream
 * 2 tsp salt
 * 20g/¾oz caster sugar
 * 200ml/7fl oz fresh turnip juice (reserved from the confit turnips)
 * 50g/1¾oz creamed horseradish sauce

For the chestnut sauce

 * 20g/¾oz butter
 * 75g/2½oz shallot, finely chopped
 * 1 tsp thyme leaves
 * 1 bay leaf
 * 150g/5½oz chopped confit chestnuts
 * 25ml/1fl oz white wine vinegar
 * 150ml/5fl oz Madeira
 * 300ml/10fl oz chicken stock
 * 100ml/3½fl oz double cream
 * 2 tsp caster sugar
 * salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the John Dory

 * 4 200g/7oz John Dory fillets, skin-on, pin-boned
 * olive oil, for drizzling
 * salt and freshly ground black pepper

To serve

 * 3 chestnuts, tops crossed
 * 25g/1oz butter
 * 1 medium-sized turnip, peeled, sliced and cut into rounds
 * 2 baby turnips, peeled and finely sliced on a mandolin
 * turnip oil or olive oil for drizzling

Method

 * 1) Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
 * 2) To make the confit turnips, place a large shallow pan on a medium heat. Add the butter, and once melted, add the rest of the ingredients. Cook over a low heat for about an hour, or until the turnip starts to caramelise and the liquid has evaporated.
 * 3) Turn up the heat and cook for a further 10 minutes or until the turnip is golden-brown. Drain the turnip in a colander and set aside.
 * 4) To make the turnip milk sauce, place the milk, turnip, cream, salt and sugar in a saucepan and cook slowly over a low heat until the turnip is tender. Add the turnip juice and horseradish and blitz in a blender. Pass through a sieve twice and keep warm in the saucepan.
 * 5) Roast the whole chestnuts in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove and peel when cool enough to handle. Slice very thinly using a mandolin and set aside for garnishing.
 * 6) Meanwhile, to make the chestnut sauce, heat the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the shallots, thyme and bay leaf, season with salt and pepper and cook for 3 minutes. Add the chestnuts and cook for a minute, add the vinegar and reduce untill almost dry, then add the Madeira. Reduce by a third then add the stock and cream. Simmer for 5–8 minutes then blend, pass through a fine sieve and place in the fridge.
 * 7) To cook the John Dory, heat a little olive oil in a large frying pan. Season the fillets with salt and pepper and fry skin-side down for 3 minutes, then turn and cook for 2 minutes on the other side. Rest for 2 minutes and remove the skins before serving.
 * 8) To serve, heat the butter and 100ml/3½fl oz water in a small frying pan and once hot cook the rounds of turnip for 2 minutes, until just softened.
 * 9) Place a spoonful of confit turnip on each plate and place the cooked fish on top. Spoon the turnip milk sauce over the top and garnish with the turnip rounds, a few slices of raw turnip dressed in turnip oil, the shaved roasted chestnuts and a dollop of chestnut sauce.

For the courgette shoestring fries

 * 1 litre/1¾ pint vegetable oil, for deep-frying
 * 6 large courgettes
 * 500ml/18fl oz cold milk
 * 500g/1lb 2oz plain flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
 * large pinch of fine salt

For the John Dory

 * extra virgin olive oil, for frying
 * 4 x John Dory fillets
 * 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
 * 1 large handful of mixed herbs (mint, dill, basil and sage), finely chopped
 * 50ml/2fl oz fish stock
 * 70ml/2½fl oz lemon juice
 * 70ml/2½fl oz orange juice
 * 1 small handful of pink and green peppercorns
 * 1 small orange, cut into slices (optional)
 * flaky sea salt and ground black pepper

Method

 * 1) For the zucchini shoestring fries, add the oil to a deep-fat fryer and heat to 190C (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not over-fill the pan or leave unattended).
 * 2) Meanwhile, slice the courgettes lengthways using a mandoline to create 4mm thick strips.
 * 3) Carefully dredge the courgette strings in the milk and shake around in the seasoned flour to lightly coat.
 * 4) Lower the cougette fries into the deep-fat fryer and cook for 3 minutes or until light golden-brown. Remove using a slotted spoon and leave to drain on kitchen paper. Sprinkle with fine salt and keep warm until ready to serve.
 * 5) Meanwhile for the John Dory, drizzle a generous glug of olive oil into a large shallow pan with a lid. Carefully add the John Dory fillets skin-side down with the garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper. Scatter the chopped herbs over the fish and place the pan over a medium heat. When the pan starts to sizzle, add the stock, lemon juice and orange juice and cover with a lid. After no more than 4 minutes, remove the fillets and place on warm plates.
 * 6) Turn the heat up to high, add the peppercorns and boil the juices until the volume of liquid starts to reduce (about 2 minutes). Take off the heat and pour the reduced juices onto the John Dory fillets. Garnish each fillet with a slice of orange, if using, and serve with the courgette fries alongside.
 * 7) To serve, put the John Dory onto a serving plate and the fries on the side.

For the fish stock

 * 1 onion, chopped
 * 1 bulb fennel, sliced
 * 100g/3½oz celery, sliced
 * 100g/3½oz carrots, sliced
 * 25g/1oz button mushrooms, washed and sliced
 * 1 sprig thyme
 * 2¼ litres/4 pints water
 * 1kg/2lb 4oz flatfish bones (such as brill, sole, plaice) or fillet (ask your fishmonger for bones)

For the tomato sauce

 * 6 tbsp olive oil
 * 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
 * 1kg/2lb 4oz well-flavoured tomatoes, peeled or 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
 * salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the John Dory

 * 4 John Dory fillets
 * 50g/1¾oz plain flour
 * 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to serve
 * 1 lemon, halved
 * 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
 * 2 small gherkins, finely chopped
 * 2 tbsp capers, 1 tbsp finely chopped and 1 tbsp whole
 * 2 tomatoes, peeled, de-seeded and finely chopped
 * 3 tbsp tomato sauce (see above)
 * 250ml/9fl oz fish stock (see above)
 * small handful flatleaf parsley, chopped

Method

 * 1) For the fish stock, put all the ingredients except the fish bones into a large pan, bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and simmer gently for 20 minutes.
 * 2) Add the fish bones (or fish fillet) and bring back up to a simmer, skimming off any scum as it rises to the surface. Simmer for a further 20 minutes. Strain through a sieve into a clean pan and simmer a little longer, if necessary, until reduced to about 1.2 litres/2 pints. If not using immediately, cool and refrigerate or freeze for later use.
 * 3) For the tomato sauce, heat the olive oil and garlic in a saucepan. As soon as the garlic starts to sizzle, add the tomatoes and simmer for 15-20 minutes, breaking them up as they cook. Cook until the sauce has reduced and thickened, then season with salt and pepper. The sauce is ready to use. If not using immediately, leave to cool, then refrigerate for up to a week or freeze for later use.
 * 4) Season the John Dory fillets with some salt and pepper and lightly dust with flour. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan, add the fillets skin-side down and fry for 2-3 minutes until lightly browned. Season with a squeeze of lemon juice, turn the fish over and cook for a further minute. Remove from the pan and keep warm.
 * 5) Add the Worcestershire sauce, gherkins, whole and chopped capers, tomatoes, tomato sauce and fish stock to the pan, bring to the boil then reduce a little to create the sauce. Add the fish carefully back to the pan for a minute to warm through in the sauce.
 * 6) Serve immediately, drizzled with a little more olive oil and sprinkled with fresh parsley.

Ingredients

 * 400g/14oz new potatoes, cut into 2.5cm/1in slices, parboiled
 * 2 tbsp olive oil
 * 200g/7oz flour
 * salt and freshly ground black pepper
 * 4 fillets John Dory
 * 50g/1¾oz butter
 * ½ lemon, juice only

For the fennel and caper salad

 * 2 fennel bulbs, thinly sliced, (set aside in a bowl of ice cold water)
 * 2 oranges, peeled, segmented, juice reserved
 * 2 tsp baby capers, drained
 * 1 bunch chopped fresh dill
 * 3 tbsp olive oil
 * 1 tbsp white wine vinegar

To serve

 * 8 salted anchovies, cut in half lengthways
 * 4 tsp caper berries

Method

 * 1) Place the parboiled potatoes into a bowl with the olive oil and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir until well combined.
 * 2) Heat a griddle pan over a medium heat until hot. Add the potatoes in batches and cook for four minutes on each side or until tender and golden-brown on both sides. Remove from the pan and keep warm. Repeat the process with the remaining batches of potatoes.
 * 3) Sprinkle the flour onto a plate. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Dust the John Dory in the seasoned flour.
 * 4) Heat half the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat until foaming and fry the John Dory for three minutes on each side or until the fish is just cooked through (do this in batches if necessary). Add the remaining butter and the lemon juice to the pan and cook for another minute, basting the fish with the lemon and butter mixture.
 * 5) For the fennel and caper salad, drain the fennel thoroughly and place into a large bowl with the orange segments. Add the capers and one-third of the dill. Stir until well combined.
 * 6) To make the dressing, place the reserved juice from the oranges into a small bowl and add the oil, white wine vinegar and the remaining dill. Whisk until well combined. Drizzle the dressing over the fennel and orange salad and mix well.
 * 7) To serve, place one John Dory fillet onto each of four serving plates. Spoon the potatoes and orange and fennel salad alongside and garnish with the anchovy fillets and caper berries.

Ingredients

 * 4 large John Dory fillets
 * salt and freshly ground black pepper
 * 50g/2oz plain flour
 * 1 tbsp olive oil

For the shrimp sauce vierge

 * 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
 * 2 large shallots, finely chopped
 * 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
 * 2 tomatoes, seeds removed, chopped
 * 110g/4oz cooked brown shrimps, peeled
 * 3 tbsp finely chopped fresh tarragon
 * ½ lemon, juice only
 * salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the sautéed potatoes

 * 3 tbsp rapeseed oil
 * 250g/9oz potatoes, peeled and finely chopped
 * salt
 * 2 tbsp chopped fresh flatleaf parsley

Method

 * 1) Season the John Dory fillets with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then dredge the fillets in the flour on each side.
 * 2) Heat the oil a frying pan until hot. Add the fish, skin-side down and cook on each side for 1-2 minutes, until just cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside to rest in a warm place.
 * 3) For the shrimp sauce vierge, heat the olive oil in a separate frying pan over a very low heat. When the oil is warm (but not too hot), add the shallots and garlic and warm through for one minute.
 * 4) Add the tomatoes and shrimps and warm through for a further two minutes.
 * 5) Add the tarragon, lemon juice and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
 * 6) For the sautéed potatoes, heat a separate frying pan until hot then add the rapeseed oil and potatoes. Sauté for 5-6 minutes, until golden brown all over and tender. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain the potatoes onto kitchen paper. Season, to taste, with salt and sprinkle with the parsley.
 * 7) To serve, place the John Dory onto the centre of the plate, then spoon over the shrimp sauce vierge. Place a spoonful of the sautéed potatoes alongside.