John Dory, St Peter’s fish

Although this is certainly not famed for its good looks – John Dory is probably one of the ugliest of food fish – it has, over the years, enjoyed a good reputation both for its delicate flavour and fine texture, which is, of course, reflected in the price as it is quite expensive. In addition, John Dory is made more expensive by the amount of waste on it – the head, innards and bones probably account for at least two-thirds of the total weight. Each of the two fillets break into three natural pieces – the only fish I know of to do this. Any of the recipes using a firmer white fish, such as sole or turbot, could be used to good effect with John Dory. It also seems to lend itself very well to salads, whether warm or cold.