John Dory en Papillote

Friday, September 9th, 2011 | posted by wendy

Serves 4

  • 4 John Dory fillets- 6-8 oz. each
  • 2 carrots cut thin julienne
  • 2 tomatoes, diced
  • 2 Leeks cut in thin julienne (use white and part of green)
  • 3 cloves garlic, fine chop
  • 2 zucchini, cut thin julienne
  • 3 T chopped fresh dill
  • 4 T olive oil
  • 1/4 cup fish stock (available at Monahan’s) or dry white wine
  • Salt and pepper
  • 4 pieces of parchment paper 12 x 16 inches

Pre heat oven to 375º.

Because the John Dory fillets are fairly thin do a quick sauté of the veggies. Heat pan over med- high heat, add 2 T olive and add garlic until it just starts to brown. Add vegetables (save tomatoes and dill till the end, save a little dill to top the fillets). Sauté until vegetables start to soften ,toss in tomatoes and dill and take off heat.

Fold parchment paper in half and divide vegetables equally on one side of each paper and season with salt and pepper.

Place each fillet over vegetables and drizzle with rest of olive oil and stock or wine, then sprinkle a bit of dill over fillets. Make a pouch by folding parchment in 1/2 circle.

Place on cookie sheet or broiling pan and pop in oven for 12 min.

Serve in pouch – tear into center of pouch at the table and get hit with the steaming hot and aromatic whiff.

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If a Doctor Seuss Fish Came to Life...

Friday, September 9th, 2011 | posted by mike

John Dory | Monahan's Seafood MarketIt would probably look like a John Dory. We’ve seen a lot of weird looking creatures over the years here at the market, Monkfish that look like Jabba the Hutt, 6 foot long pacific octopus, giant geoduck clams, monstrous toothy wolfish with a mouth full of molars, but my vote for the wildest looking fish has to go to the John Dory. With smooth silver skin like a Jack, a flat body like a flounder, armor like a sturgeon, a dorsal fin like a roosterfish and a head like a Snook, this fish looks like it was thrown together from leftover parts of at least 5 totally different species.

John Dory are known in much of the world as “Saint Peter’s Fish” and are loved in Europe, especially in France where” St Pierre” is a favorite in bouillabaisse. No one knows for sure how John Dory got its name but back in 1609 there was a ballad about a French privateer that was popular and I wouldn’t be surprised if they named the fish after this character. The St. Peter part comes from the fact that the dark spot on the side of this fish is said to be the thumb print of St. Peter when he picked it up to take a coin out of its mouth to pay his taxes.

We get imported John Dory from the Mediterranean but most of the fish that we see come from Rhode Island. They’re a little different than they’re European cousins (very similar but without St. Peter’s thumbprint). These fish are not plentiful off our coast but when conditions are right they show up and when they do, it’s a real treat.

The bellies of this morning’s fish were full of butterfish that were so fresh that they would have made a fine meal. The meat of the John Dory is sweet and delicate but also buttery and absolutely delicious, imagine a sole and pompano mix. The fillets work well in any sole or flounder recipe but they’re firmer and more versatile. Sole would be a little delicate for today’s recipe (en papillote with vegetables) but the John Dory worked perfectly .

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