John Dory (Zeus spp.)

Biology: John Dory refers to a genus of fish. The origin of the name is unsure, but may come from the French "doree" ("gilded"). An alternative history is presented by Jules Verne in An Antarctic Mystery. Here he states that "John Dory" comes from "Janitore", the Latin word for doorkeeper, a reference to St. Peter, who, it is said, presented one of these fish to the Lord.The John Dory is a solitary coastal fish found near the seafloor. It is a poor swimmer due to its large, round, flat body. It stalks its prey and then sucks it in with a tube from its mouth. The John Dory eats schooling fish, such as sardines, and is eaten by sharks and other large fish. It can reach 2 ft in length and 7 lbs in weight, and can live as long as 12 years.
Harvest: This fish is not pursued commercially, but is caught in small quantities as bycatch.

Preparation: The John Dory is one of the best table fish available. Its flesh has small, fine flakes and a slightly sweet flavor. It can be steamed, poached, baked, grilled, or panfried in batter or breadcrumbs.

Available whole or filleted (skin-on), sporadically.

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