50 votesA timeless dish, John Dory with Clams, Champagne and Artichokes is a recipe inspired by the Champagne region of France. It was created by Chef Arnaud Lallement for the elegant hotel and restaurant L'Assiette Champenoise, located in the heart of the Champagne region a few miles away from the Champagne vineyards. To make this recipe, Chef Lallement makes use of local Saint Pierre fish (also popularly known as John Dory), fresh clams from the Mediterranean, Tuscan oil, edible seaweed, lovely artichokes, and a whole bunch of aromatic herbs including coriander, rosemary, thyme, chervil, and bay leaf.
Known for his deep passion for local culture and regional produce, Chef Lallement created this dish to achieve a subtle harmony of flavors that respect the true essence of each and every ingredient. When making this recipe, it is important to source fresh, local and organic produce to give honor to the farmers, gardeners, fishermen, traders, winegrowers, and the men and women behind them. If you can’t get the ingredients from your local market, you can substitute with fish, clams, vegetables, and herbs available in your area. Champagne, however, if it is true champagne, only comes from one place on earth and that is the Champagne region of France. The heart of this dish is the flavor of this bubbly and sparkling drink.
John Dory comes from European waters and has a white, meaty, firm, and flavorsome boneless flesh making it a perfect candidate for cutting into large filets. It’s best to buy the fish whole and filet it yourself so that you are ensured that all the good flavors remain intact. Another special ingredient used to make this recipe is Tuscan oil. Considered the classic olive oil region of Italy, Tuscany has some of the best oils in the world, particularly those that are produced in Lucca and Chianti.
Cook the shellfish in seafood or fish stock and remove from their shells. Blanche the seaweed.
Peel and cut artichokes and cook in some of the juice from the clams. Puree artichokes in a blender adding a little oil until you get a thick and smooth paste.
To make the sauce, put oil in a hot pan. Add finely chopped shallots. Pour half a glass of champagne (keep the other half until it is time to emulsify the sauce). Reduce. Add the shellfish juice. Allow to reduce so that the flavor of the juice is concentrated. Add thick cream at the last moment. Stir well with a whisk and simmer. Finish up by adding the rest of the champagne to the sauce and add fresh minced herbs (chopped chervil, coriander, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaf).
Carve the John Dory into large strips. Put some oil in a pan. Season John Dory filets with salt and pepper. When the pan is just beginning to smoke, brown the John Dory on the skin side first. Turn it over to cook the other side.
Place artichoke puree in the center of the plate. Place a slice of cooked John Dory on top. Place clam shells around the plate. Arrange clam meat in their shells. Pour sauce around. Decorate the plate with the blanched seaweed. Season with a touch of pepper.
