Difficulty: Intermediate
From Chef Hubert's esteemed collection of recipes (Éditions J.A.), this elegant dish showcases perfectly seared John Dory fillets elevated by a refined thyme-infused blueberry sauce and crispy zucchini julienne.
Slice the John Dory fillets into 5-6 thin scallops per person. Season with salt and pepper. Melt a bit of butter in a pan over medium-high heat and cook the scallops 4-5 minutes per side until golden. Keep warm and reserve the pan.
Peel the zucchini with a paring knife to create fine julienne strips from the skins. Wash and drain the parsley. Heat olive oil in a pan until smoking hot, then quickly fry the zucchini julienne and parsley. Drain on paper towels and keep warm.
Deglaze the reserved fish pan with blueberry vinegar. Add the thyme sprigs, crumbled. Reduce to a thick glaze. Add water and reduce by half. Stir in whipping cream and simmer gently for 5 minutes.
Arrange the seared scallops in a dome shape on a warm serving platter. Place the zucchini julienne and fried parsley on a separate plate and warm in a hot oven for 2 minutes. Finish the sauce by whisking in the remaining cold butter for a silky texture (monter au beurre). Adjust seasoning to taste. Plate the fish, scatter the fried vegetables over top, and serve the sauce in a sauceboat alongside.
Chef's Tip: Monkfish is an excellent substitute—slice into medallions rather than scallops.
Joëlle's Note: Fry the zucchini skins until crisp. For variety, use spinach or green pepper julienne instead.
Source: Chef Hubert's Favorite Recipes, Éditions J.A.
