Pan-Fried John Dory with Sauce Vierge and Basil Mash

Pan fried John Dory with sauce vierge and basil mash. A classic French way of serving fish is to pair it with a vinaigrette – in this case, a very lemony vinaigrette. Soft, fluffy mash infused with basil sits under the fish and gives a contrasting texture to the crispy skin of the fish.

John Dory:
4 (6 oz) John Dory fillets (4x170 g)
sea salt
black pepper, freshly cracked
1 Tbsp. olive oil
knob butter, for pan-frying

Sauce vierge:
extra-virgin olive oil (85 mL)
lemon juice, freshly squeezed (25 mL)
1 tsp. coriander seeds, lightly crushed
3-4 basil leaves, cut into julienne strips
sea salt

Basil Mash:
2 lb potatoes (900 g)
4 oz butter (110 g)
¾ cup milk or a combination of milk and cream (200 mL)
bunch basil leaves, finely chopped
sea salt
black pepper, freshly cracked

Garnish:
basil sprigs
2 tomatoes, skinned, seeded and diced

Firstly, prepare the basil mash, leaving out the basil until the fish is about to be served. Peel the potatoes and steam until cooked. Pass them through a food mill or ricer back into the saucepan. Put the butter and milk in another saucepan and heat until the butter has melted. Place the potatoes over a low flame and begin adding the warm milk mixture. Beat the potatoes with a wooden spoon or spatula until all of the liquid has been absorbed. Mix the basil into the potatoes. Taste and season as necessary.

To make the sauce vierge Place the olive oil in a small saucepan and heat gently just to warm through. (If you overheat the oil, you will lose a lot of flavour.) Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice and crushed coriander seeds. Leave to infuse. When cold, add the basil and season before serving.

To cook the John Dory With a sharp knife, cut small gashes on the skin, about 3cm wide (this helps stop it from curling up during the cooking). Season the fish. Heat a non-stick frying pan and when hot, add the oil. Place the fish in the pan, skin side down. Cook for a few minutes (without moving the fish) until the skin crisps and becomes golden at the edges. Turn over onto the flesh side, add a knob of butter to the pan (this will give both colour and flavour) and cook for another minute or so, until tender – the exact timing will depend on the thickness of the fish.

To serve Reheat the mashed potato and add in the basil. Mix, taste and recheck the seasoning. Place a large scoop of mash in the centre of each plate. Place the John Dory on top of the mash. Drizzle some sauce vierge over the fish and around the outside of the plate. Garnish the fish with a sprig of basil and sprinkle some of the tomato dice around the plate.

Makes 4 servings.