John Dory with Lime and Ginger sauce.

John Dory is a sustainable fish, generally a bycatch in the fishing industry.

It is in demand, a really nice meaty fish, so a bit on the expensive side, but sooo worth it.

Apart from John Dory, other good fish are pollock, hake, bream - any meaty white fish.

Also Sea Bass, Bream and Dover Sole are really good alternatives. 

This takes about 20 - 30 minutes for a really lovely late summer light dinner.

Please feel free to comment - I really appreciate the time and effort when people do.

This recipe is really influenced by Tony Singh - born and raised in Leith (with as strong a Leith accent as I've ever heard on TV)  You may have seen him, as I did.

He is among Scotland's leading contemporary chiefs, and coming from Leith really knows fish.

Having watched him on TV, he did make me think, he is quite inspiring - as a chef he takes traditional Scottish food, and re-invents it. 

In a way, this is a meal that is a tribute to his energy and ideas.

I love his demeanor and the way he approaches food. His original version uses Dover Sole. It seems to me to be a sort of Parsee style Buerre Noissette, mine is more like an Indian Hollandaise - if anything, more Indian than the original.

I served this dish with new potatoes and asparagus.

Again, fish sourced from Ballycotton Seafoods in the English Market, Cork. 

So, John Dory - best have it filleted at the fish shop if not given to or caught by you.
Keep the head and bones for great fish stock.

Sustainable Irish Fish - John Dory

John Dory Fillets

INGREDIENTS

4 tbsp Gram flour (you can use plain flour)

½-1 tsp Chili powder  

½ tsp Ground green cardamom pods

Salt and Pepper

1 John Dory, made into two fillets

Donegal rapeseed oil to fry

Parsley to garnish 

FOR SAUCE

140g/5oz unsalted butter

50g/2oz chopped fresh root ginger

4 tbsp Lime Juice

2 tbsp finely chopped coriander

Pinch Corriander

(Optional) 1 Egg yolk

Serve with:

New potatoes

Asparagus (or spinach, broccoli - your favorite green veg)

METHOD 

Take enough new potatoes for two (or more) people, I picked small waxy baby spuds.

These take about 20 minutes.

Now, mix the flour, chili powder, cardamom and salt and pepper, dust the fish in it.

Start to make the sauce.

Melt the butter over a medium heat, let it bubble until it turns nut brown in colour.

Reduce the heat to low and ass ginger, coriander and warm through - but don't overheat to avoid the butter separating.

Remove from heat.

Add a pinch of cayenne pepper.

As an option whisk in the egg yolk to give a richer, creamier sauce. 

Leave aside.

With about 10 minutes to go, throw the asparagus spears into the boiling potatos, use a basket if you have one.

Get a pan with the oil good and hot.

Put the dusted fish fillets skin side down into the pan, fry for 5 minutes either side - a really nice crisp crust develops.

Plate up fish, potatoes and asparagus - pour over sauce - serve, lap up the praise.

Really quick, really nice

Please feel free to comment - I really appreciate the time and effort when people do.