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To Boil a John Dory

A simple boiled fish dish using John Dory, salt, and water.

From an old cookbook · modernised transcription
From a historical cookbook (Internet Archive) · 3 ingredients
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To Boil a John Dory

Ingredients

Directions

The book gives no cooking times; the times in the steps were added in transcription, so check for doneness rather than trusting the clock.

Prepare

  1. Remove the fins from the John Dory.

  2. Fill a pot with water and add a pinch of coarse sea salt.

  3. Bring the water to a boil.

Cook and serve

  1. Gently place the John Dory in the boiling water.

  2. Boil for about 10-15 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through.

  3. Serve with your choice of sauce.

Recipe from a historical cookbook (Internet Archive).

Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.

Explore the science

What each ingredient does

John dory
Provides the main protein, which firms and turns opaque as it cooks.

The step that matters

Boil for about 10-15 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through. Fish proteins firm and contract as they heat, and overcooking squeezes out moisture, leaving the flesh dry and tough. Check that the thickest part is opaque and flakes easily with a fork before removing it.

“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.

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