I interviewed Michelin Star Chef Vardon in an earlier post here, and had the pleasure of trying out a number of his creations at La Residence Restaurant & Lounge, Raffles Dubai last week.

Chef Vardon has been kind enough to share the recipe for one of his signature dishes with us; John Dory with Shellfish Garnish & Salted Butter Shavings. I hope you give this fine-dining dish a try at home!

The John Dory with Shellfish Garnish & Salted Butter Shavings is one of Fréderic Vardon’s signature dishes, it combines shellfish, spinach and John Dory, seasoned with a green sauce whisked in butter. Some salt butter curls add finesse and elegance to the plate.

Ingredients

For the sea bass:

• 2 pieces John Dory

For the shellfish and sauce:

• 1kg razor clams
• 1kg cockles
• 1 kg mussels
• 3 pieces shallots
• Garlic, thyme, peppercorns

For the Spinach:

• 1 pack of spinach

Method

Sea bass:

• Scale, trim and prepare the fish. Fillet and trim.
• Shellfish and sauce
• Blanch in vegetable broth with minced shallots, peppercorns, thyme and crushed garlic the razor clams, once opened rid, peel while still hot, cool. Slice diagonally.
• Cook the cockles and mussels “à la marinière”, set aside, keep the cooking juice, peel while still hot.
• Reduce the cooking juice, cream, reduce and whisk in butter, set aside.

Spinach:

• Remove the stalks from the spinach, wash and spin dry.
• In a large casserole dish, stew the spinach in butter along with a clove of gaarlic that has been pricked with a fork.
• Drain, and set aside.

To Plate Up:

• Reheat the spinach in a frying pan with a little butter.
• Reheat the shellfish in a sauté pan with a little Pochon sauce and white stock. Do not boil.
• Brown one side of the sea bass on a pan, and oven bake at 180 °C for 4 minutes.
• In a shallow round plate, place the spinach around the shells and pour the sauce over the roasted sea bass.

Bon apetit!