Ever since I have changed my disastereous eating habit I love to prepare fish or a dish with some fish parts in it. Found a real nice John Dory filet which I simply pan fried and de-glazed with some connsome for giving some body. A nice salad with mini tomatoes and onion completed my so what healthy lunch. Wish I could eat like that every day at work…

John Dory, also known as St Pierre, refers to fish of the genus Zeus, especially Zeus faber, of widespread distribution. It is an edible deep-sea fish with a laterally compressed olive-yellow body which has a large dark spot, and long spines on the dorsal fin. The dark spot is used to flash an ‘evil eye’ if danger approaches the John Dory. Its large eyes at the front of the head provide it with bifocal vision and depth perception, which are important for predators. The John dory’s eye spot on the side of its body also confuses prey, which are scooped up in its big mouth.

Various explanations are given of the origin of the name, “John Dory”. It may be an arbitrary or jocular variation of dory (itself from the French dorée, gilded), or perhaps an allusion to John Dory, the hero of an old ballad. Others suggest that “John” derives from the French jaune, yellow. The novel An Antarctic Mystery by Jules Verne gives another account, which has some popularity but is probably fanciful: “The legendary etymology of this piscatorial designation is Janitore, the “door-keeper,” in allusion to St. Peter, who brought a fish said to be of that species, to our Lord at His command.” (St. Peter is said to be keeper of the gates of Heaven.) A related legend says that the dark spot on the fish’s flank is St. Peter’s thumbprint.