JOHN DORY WITH NEW POTATOES, CARROT PUREE, ARTICHOKES, AND FENNEL VELOUTÉ

SERVES 4

John Dory is a firm, flaky, white-fleshed fish prized for its mild, sweet flavor. It’s more likely to found on a UK menu than in the United States, so if you’re unable to find it, tilapia can be substituted. Velouté is one of the five “mother” sauces of French cuisine (the other four are tomato, hollandaise, béchamel, and espagnole). This stock-based velvety sauce is thickened with a roux or heavy cream, and ours is flavored with fennel. As you get more proficient in the kitchen, you’ll find yourself working through all of the elements of this dinner together, stirring and adding ingredients with ease and expertly making use of all four of your stovetop’s burners at once. That’s how Season 7 contestant Holli Ugalde worked her John Dory to perfection in a top-four dinner service competition. Her fish got her to the top three, and ultimately she was crowned the winner of the show.

POTATOES

12 baby new potatoes

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

CARROT PUREE

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons butter

1–2 tablespoons sugar

10 carrots, sliced into ½-inch pieces

1–2 star anise

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

FENNEL VELOUTÉ

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small fennel bulb, roughly chopped

¼ cup dry white wine

⅛ cup dry vermouth

1 cup fish stock or vegetable stock

⅛ cup heavy cream

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

JOHN DORY

Four 6-ounce John Dory or tilapia fillets, skin removed

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Fresh dill, chopped, for garnish

Grilled or marinated baby artichokes, store-bought

FOR THE POTATOES

BRING a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the potatoes and boil 20 minutes or until just tender. Drain, and when the potatoes are cool enough to handle, remove the skin and slice the potatoes into ½-inch rounds. Set aside.

FOR THE CARROT PUREE

IN medium saucepan, heat the oil, butter, and sugar in a pan over medium heat. Add the carrots and star anise and cook until the carrots are lightly caramelized, about 15 minutes. Pour in 1 cup of water, just enough to cover the carrots. Cook for 25 minutes or until the carrots start to break down when gently pressed. Remove the star anise and strain the carrots. Reserve the cooking liquid. Puree the carrots in a blender, adding some of the cooking water if too thick. Season to taste and keep warm.

FOR THE FENNEL VELOUTÉ

IN a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the fennel with a pinch of salt and cook until translucent and tender, about 10 minutes. Add the wine and dry vermouth. Bring to a boil and reduce until almost dry and the liquid is syrupy. Add the fish (or vegetable) stock and reduce by half, then add the cream. Return to a boil and reduce until thickened. Strain through a fine mesh strainer and season to taste. Set aside and keep warm.

HEAT the oil and butter in a large sauté pan. Add the potato slices to the pan and cook for 5 minutes until golden and crisp. Season to taste.

FOR THE FISH

IN a large sauté pan, heat the oil and butter over medium-high heat. Season the fish with salt and pepper. Add the fillets in a single layer and sauté about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to moderate and cook 1 minute more. Turn fillet and cook 2–3 minutes or until fish flakes.

TO PLATE

MOUND the carrot puree into the center of each plate. Top with fish fillet. Garnish each plate with 2 artichokes and sautéed new potatoes. Drizzle the velouté around each plate and garnish with dill.