john dory fillets with broccoli sauce

filetti di san pietro in salsa di broccoli

I had this dish years ago at the Ristorante Dante in Bologna. I still remember my surprise at being offered such an unlikely combination as fish and broccoli in a restaurant in Bologna, where dishes outside the traditional range of local cooking are viewed with suspicion. Here a fish is combined with a broccoli purée made mellow with cream.

The fish is the very fine but rather ugly John Dory, a fish with a very large head which, with the backbone, accounts for two-thirds of its weight. It has two black marks on each side, these being responsible for its name in both Italian and French – San Pietro and Saint Pierre. These marks, the legend says, are the fingerprints of Saint Peter who, taking pity on it after it was caught, threw the fish back into the sea. If I ever caught a John Dory I fear I would not throw it back. I find it one of the best fish, with its firm white flesh, suitable for cooking in most ways from the simplest to the most elaborate.

As accompaniment, a few buttered new potatoes would be very welcome, although not necessary, and afterwards a green salad is all you need.

Serves 6

60 g (2 oz) unsalted butter

2 shallots, finely chopped

sea salt and pepper

600 g (1 1/4 lb) broccoli

225 ml (8 fl oz) fish stock (here)

1 kg (2 lb) John Dory fillets

100 ml (3 1/2 fl oz) dry white wine

4 tbsp double cream

Heat the oven to 190°C (375°F) mark 5.

Put half the butter in a sauté pan. Add the shallots and a little salt and sauté for 5–7 minutes until soft.

Remove the tough outside layer of the broccoli stalks. Wash the broccoli thoroughly, cut them into small pieces and add to the shallots with a cupful of the fish stock. Cook until quite tender, not just al dente, adding a small ladleful of the broth whenever the broccoli are cooking with no liquid. They will take about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

While the broccoli are cooking, butter an oven dish with the remaining butter and lay the fish fillets in it. Season with salt and pepper, pour over the wine and then cover the dish with foil and bake for 10 minutes.

When the broccoli are done, put them with all the cooking juices in the food processor and purée them. Spoon the purée into a clean saucepan and add the cream. Bring slowly to the boil and cook over a very low heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Taste and check the seasoning. Keep the sauce warm.

Transfer the fish fillets on to individual heated plates, pour over the cooking juices and spoon a couple of tablespoons of the purée around each fillet.

preparation

The broccoli sauce can be prepared a few hours in advance and refrigerated, tightly covered with clingfilm, but the fish must be cooked at the last minute.