John dory and Saint pierre are the same fish. Different languages, different markets, one species — so a recipe calling for one works exactly as written with the other.
Saint-Pierre is one of the most valuable fish in European kitchens and one of the strangest looking: a flat, oval, olive-grey body with a dark thumbprint on each flank. Nearly every language names it after that mark and the legend attached to it — the apostle Peter's thumb, hence Saint-Pierre in France, pez de San Pedro in Spain, pesce San Pietro in Italy, Petersfisch in Germany. The English name John Dory is thought to come from the French jaune doré. Yield is poor — the head and frame are more than half its weight — but the four thick fillets are firm, pearly white and sweet, closer to turbot than to sea bass, and they hold together under a hard sear. The frame makes an excellent stock, so buy it whole if the kitchen can use both. Portuguese peixe-galo is the same fish; it should not be confused with the unrelated tropical galo species.
One species, one fishmonger’s counter at a time.
| Country | Called |
|---|---|
| 🇺🇸United States | John Dory |
| 🇬🇧United Kingdom | John Dory |
| 🇫🇷France | Saint-Pierre |
| 🇪🇸Spain | Pez de San Pedro |
| 🇵🇹Portugal | Peixe-galo |
| 🇮🇹Italy | Pesce San Pietro |
| 🇩🇪Germany | Petersfisch |
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