John Dory (St. Pierre)

Saint-Pierre meunière (John Dory, lightly floured and pan-fried in butter) teaches the discipline behind every good fish sauté: the surface must be dry, the flour must be fresh, and the pan must be ready before the fillet touches it. John Dory's appearance has frightened away more cooks than its cooking ever should. Beneath the spines and great solemn head lies white, firm flesh with the delicacy of sole and enough structure to turn cleanly in a skillet.

The classical entry doesn't burden Saint-Pierre with a new garnish. It sends the fillets into the same working repertoire as sole and chicken-turbot. A brigade could give the awkward whole fish to a fish cook, keep clarified butter ready, and leave the final pan to a saucier. At home, ask the fishmonger to skin and pin-bone the fillets, then use one wide skillet for both fish and sauce. Those separate hands are scaffolding and can go. The last-minute flouring, clarified butter, and beurre noisette, hazelnut-browned butter, are the dish and must stay. One cook, one stove, one evening.

When it is right, each fillet carries a fine golden crust around a moist, pearly centre, with lemon-bright butter pooling underneath and parsley caught in the foam. Dry the fish thoroughly and don't flour it until the pan is hot. That is the one step that decides the dish.