John Dory with Caramelized Baby Bok Choy, Capers and Brown Butter

Today I planned on making tuna since it was the latest special at my local Sydney Fish Market, however they had sold out!  So I needed to decide on the spot something new which I could make at home, hopefully with the ingredients I had already purchased from the grocery.  I quickly chose the John Dory because it sounded somewhat familiar, which upon reflection I think only sounded familiar from Dory in Finding Nemo 😉  Upon getting home I unwrapped the fish and discovered it has a false eye (pic at the end)- which protects it from enemies – and I think it was looking at me, wondering what was I going to to with it… I decided to use a recipe from a the Sydney Seafood School Cookbook by Lauren Murdoch.  She used skate and witlof (a relation to belgian endive).

Serves 4.

• 4 4ounce filets John Dory (alternative fish – halibut)
• flour
• vegetable oil
• 7 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 7 Tablespoons baby capers, rinsed and dried
• 2 1/2 Tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 Tablespoons parsley
• salt flakes, ground pepper

Caramelized Baby Bok Choy

• 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, chopped
• 3 Tablespoons caster sugar (fine sugar)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt flakes
• 3 baby bok choy, cut in half

1. Place butter, sugar and salt in frying pan just big enough for the bok choy.
2. Add bok choy, cut side down and water just so it cover half of the bok choy.
3. Cover with a piece of baking paper and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Remove paper and cook until water is evaporated and bok choy is browned.  Keep warm.
5. Dust John Dory with flour.
6. Add oil to fry pan and cook the John Dory for 2 minutes per side.
7. Remove from pan and keep warm.
8. Add butter to the pan and heat until brown and foaming.
9. Add capers and fry for 20 seconds, then add lemon juice, parsley.
10. Salt and pepper to taste.
11. Place bok choy then John Dory on plate and spoon over caper butter sauce.