Grant Crilly is the Executive Director and cofounder of ChefSteps. Grant is a classically trained chef and, prior to ChefSteps, he worked on the award-winning cookbook series Modernist Cuisine and cooked at various restaurants, including L’Astrance in Paris, Busaba in Mumbai, and Mistral Kitchen in Seattle.

Grant Crilly

John Dory is a remarkable fish found in the Mediterranean, parts of the North Atlantic, and also Australasian waters. In France it goes by the name Saint-Pierre, and in Spain the name is pez de San Pedro, both of which reference the fish&#39;s biblical association with the apostle Saint Peter. One common story is that, as a fisherman, Saint Peter took pity on this fish and tossed it back into the sea. In doing so, his fingers left distinctive dark “thumbprints” on either side of the fish. Just as plausible is that he threw it back because he was aware that this fish is tricky to butcher and yields only a modest amount of flesh compared to the size of its body. This skinny fish is all jaws. A John Dory relies on its thin, stealthy profile to sneak up on its prey and then captures it by shooting out its enormous, retractable jaw. And yet, the firm and meaty flesh of John Dory is prized by chefs and epicureans around the world. In this recipe we pair the mild-flavor of John Dory with maitake mushrooms, Marcona almonds, and a lettuce jus.