Mr. John Dory

 John Dory. Photo from The Local Catch

Picked up some John Dory at the Pawtucket Wintertime Farmer's Market today from The Local Catch! Cooking seafood is not something I have much experience with, but my recent desire to consume more seafood is prompting some experimentation!

One of my original reasons for avoiding seafood was the toxic metals that they contain (most notably, mercury). These toxins can be harmful when they build up in the body; however including certain foods in your diet can ensure that these harmful constituents pass through, rather than go into storage.

Parsley and cilantro both contain constituents that bind to heavy metals, therefore making it much more difficult for the them to be absorbed by the body. The mineral selenium has the same action. Fish are actually a great source of selenium, so if you are consuming a high quality fish that is prepared nutritiously, you greatly reduce your chances of heavy metal absorption.

My John Dory experience:

2 Tablespoons butter heated in a non-stick pan. Added to the butter- 1 finely chopped shallot, 2 cloves of garlic (minced), a 1" piece of fresh ginger (minced), a generous dose of black pepper, and a dash of sea salt.

I sauteed this savory blend for about 8 minutes over medium-high heat then added the filet of John Dory, skin facing upward. Still on medium-high heat, I cooked the fish with the shallot, garlic, and ginger for 7 minutes or so, until the filet was cooked throughout and no longer "stuck" to the skin when pressed. I then flipped over the fish and put it onto a plate. I squeezed 1/2 of a lemon into the pan to mix with the butter, ginger, garlic, and shallot mixture, then drizzled this mixture over the fish.

It's hard to go wrong with shallots, ginger, and garlic, but I was VERY pleased with this dish. Along with the fish I prepared a salad with romaine lettuce, carrots, sunflower seeds, grapefruit, and parsley (to help flush out any heavy metals!).

There will certainly be more seafood experimentation in the near future!