wash the shelled scampi tails and the filets of already prepared filets of John Dory. Pass them lightly in the flour, and cook them on both sides in a wide frying pan on a medium flame for about 4 or 5 minutes, adding salt and pepper. When they are ready place them carefully in an oven-proof dish.
Remove the oil from the pan, add the butter and parsley, and cook for about 30 to 40 seconds. At this point, lift the pan from the flame.
Sprinkle the filets of John Dory and the scampi with the capers and washed and dried gherkins, adding a few drops of lemon, Worchester sauce and a little of the tomato sauce. Pour the melted butter into the pan, sprinkle a little parsley and serve straight away. This dish is usually accompanied by pilaf rice.
Saint Pierre á la provençale- (John Dory with potatoes and tomatoes)
Heat oven to Gas 6/400 F/200 C. Put a layer of very thinly sliced potatoes into the base of an oiled oven dish. Put the whole fish on top. Add salt, pepper and a generous sprinkling of olive oil, putting some inside the fish as well. Surround the fish with halves of tomatoes, putting slivers of garlic into each and a sprinkling of thyme and parsley. Pour over a glass of dry white wine. Dust with breadcrumbs, sprinkle with more oil. cover with a piece of foil. Bake for 30 minutes, remove the foil and bake a further 10 minutes.
Serve in the dish garnished with black olives.
John Dory with cucumber and Noilly Prat
Ingredients
For the sauce
600ml/21¼fl oz fish stock
150ml/5fl oz Noilly Prat or dry vermouth
50ml/1¾fl oz double cream
1 cucumber
25g/1oz butter
4 x 450g/1lb or 2 x 900g/2lbs John Dory, filleted
20g/¾oz chilled butter, cut into small cubes
salt and freshly ground black and white pepper
1 tbsp fresh basil, finely shredded
Method
1. To make the sauce, put the fish stock and Noilly Prat into a saucepan and boil rapidly until reduced by three-quarters to about 180ml/6¼fl oz. Now add the cream and continue to boil for two minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
2. Peel the cucumber and then cut in half lengthways. Scoop out the seeds with a melon baller or teaspoon and then cut each half across into slices 1cm/½inch thick.
3. Preheat the grill to high. Melt the 25g/1oz butter in a large heavy-based frying pan. Brush the John Dory fillets with a little of the butter, season on both sides with salt and freshly ground black and white pepper. Place skin-side up on a lightly greased baking tray and set aside.
4. Heat the remainder of the 25g/1oz butter until foaming, add the prepared cucumber and cook over a high heat for 1-2 minutes, shaking the pan every now and then, until lightly coloured. Season with salt and freshly ground black and white pepper and remove from the heat.
5. Grill the fillets of John Dory: 2-3 minutes for those from the smaller fish, five minutes for those from the larger, until the skin is lightly browned and the fish is just cooked through.
6. Bring the sauce back to the boil and whisk in the chilled, cubed butter, a few pieces at a time. Season to taste with a little salt.
7. To serve, place the John Dory fillets into the centre of four warm plates. Spoon the cucumber alongside the fish and sprinkle with the basil. Spoon the sauce over the cucumber and around the outside edge of the plates.
Steamed Fillets of John Dory with Baby Leeks
Serves 4
The beautiful looks of the John Dory are reflected in its eating. It even has a distinguishable beauty spot on the flesh, which is apparently the reason for it being named Saint-Pierre in France and pez de San Pedro in Spain - the most common explanation for this being that the distinctive marks were left by Saint Peter's fingers on throwing the fish back into the water after he heard it making noises of distress.
Ingredients
4 fillets of John Dory, with the skin on, each about 160-180g
salt and freshly ground white pepper
250g baby leeks
2-3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
½ tbsp chopped chives
½ tbsp chopped parsley
juice of ⅓ lemon
Method
Each fillet of John Dory conveniently divides itself into 3 more fillets lengthways along the fillet. With a sharp knife, separate the fillets, cutting through the skin.
Season the fillets with sea salt and freshly ground white pepper, lay them on a plate that fits in the steamer to catch the juices and steam them with a lid on for 5-6 minutes until just cooked. If you don't have a steamer, just use a large pan with a tight-fitting lid and set the plate of fish on a trivet, or something else that will hold it clear of the water.
Meanwhile plunge the baby leeks into a large pan of boiling salted water and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain in a colander and season with salt and freshly ground white pepper.
Mix any cooking juices from the fish with the olive oil, herbs and lemon juice. Arrange the John Dory fillets on warmed plates, intertwining them with the baby leeks. Spoon the olive oil and herb liquid over the top.
