Behind the French Menu: Dorade Coryphène – The Pompano Dolphin Fish on French Menus.

from
Behind the French Menu
by
Bryan G. Newman

behindthefrenchmenu@gmail.com

Pompano Dolphin

http://www.zeevruchtengids.org

Coryphène, Dorade Coryphène, Chatrou, Mahé-Mahé – The Pompano

Dolphin Fish; a close relative to the Common Dolphin Fish. The pompano dolphin fish, is caught worldwide in tropical and semi-tropical seas, but its name should not confuse the diner with real dolphins which are mammals; these are 100% fish. Dolphin fish have very tasty, white, firm, slightly sweet meat. For France’s mainland market the pompano dolphin fish is caught in the Mediterranean. You will still need to be lucky to see the fish on a menu as is not caught in great numbers in the Mediterranean. The picture below, of a small school of dolphin fish, indicates that these are juveniles; as they grow older they become more solitary. Nevertheless, the tasty dolphin fish may be on the menu as a daily special. Its larger cousin, the common dolphin fish is available in the supermarkets as frozen imported fillets. N.B. The pompano dolphin fish is often called in the USA by its Hawaiian name the Mahi Mahi.

A school of pompano dolphin fish

Photograph courtesy of http://www.mahi.me

The pompano dolphin fish is the smaller of the two most well-known dolphin fish. Despite being the smaller member of the family, it can still reach over one meter in length though most are caught weighing between 7 and 10 kilos.

The pompano dolphin fish.

Photograph courtesy of gray taxidermy

The Pompano Dolphinfish on French menus:

Dorade Coryphène au Coulis de Poivrons Doux - The Pompano Dolphinfish served with a purée of sweet peppers.

Dos de Dorade Coryphène aux Épices – A large cut from the pompano dolphin fish prepared with spices. French cuisine is rarely very spicy in the sense of hot and spicy, but, if you are concerned, ask.

Le Pavé de Dorade Coryphène et Gambas Grillés à la Plancha – A thick cut of pompano dolphin fish served with shrimps cooked on the plancha,

Pavé de Dorade Coryphène, Légumes Confits à l'Huile D'olive, Sauce Vierge au Basilic - A thick cut of pompano dolphin fish served with a vegetable jam (confit) flavored with olive oil and sauce vierge flavored with basil. Sauce Vierge, as its name suggests it includes virgin olive oil and with the oil will be fresh tomatoes, garlic, lemon juice, basil, red wine vinegar, salt and black pepper. The sauce will be served slightly warm but not cooked as olive oil loses flavor when cooked. The sauce will be poured on the fish just before it is served.

Tartare de Dorade Coryphène à la Coriandre – A fish Tatar made with the pompano dolphin fish and flavored with coriander.

(Catalan - llampuga borda), (German - pampano-goldmakrele), (Italian - corifena, pompano mahi mahi), (Hawaiian – mahi mahi), (Spanish - dorado).

Coryphène, Coryphène Dauphin, Clic – The Dolphin fish, the Common Dolphin Fish. This is the larger of the two well-known members of the dolphin fish family. This fish is caught in the Atlantic, the Pacific, and the Indian Ocean.

The Common Dolphin Fish; the larger of the two well-known dolphin fish.

Photograph courtesy of Animalia-life.com

The larger common dolphin fish will be unlikely to make it to your menu in mainland France. Nevertheless, if you are visiting one of France's overseas regions it is a popular offering.

France's overseas regions are Guadeloupe, a group of islands in the Caribbean; Martinique, an island in the Caribbean; Réunion, an island in the Indian Ocean; Mayotte, two islands in the Indian Ocean that became part of France in 2011 and Guyane (French Guiana), on the Atlantic coast of South America just above Brazil.

(Catalan - llampuga ),(Dutch - Goudmakreel), (German – goldmakrele, grosse goldmakrele), (Italian – lampuga ) (Spanish – dorado),(Hawaiian – mahi mai lapa, mahi mahi oma, mahihi),

Connected Posts:

Basil, Common Basil or Sweet Basil. Basilic or Herbe Royal; Herbs and Spices in the French Kitchen II.

Citron – The lemon; the fruit behind many of France’s culinary successes. Also the Citron Vert - Lime, the Cedrat – the Citron, the Combava – the kaffir lime and the Chadec - the Pomelo.

Crevettes - Shrimps and Prawns. Some of the Many Tasty Crustaceans on French Menus.

French Olive Oils. Enjoying France's Best Olive Oils.

Poivre - Peppercorns. Peppercorns in French cuisine and on French Menus. For hundred of years pepper was the most important spice in the world.

Tartare, Tartar, on French Menus: Steak Tartar, Fish Tartar and Vegetable Tartar. Tartare on Your French Menu?

The Plancha or Planxa in French cuisine.

Traveling in Mainland France but Dreamingof the French Caribbean? Look for One of the Many Mainland Restaurants ServingFrench-Créole Antillaise Cuisine .

What is a Confit? All About That Confit on Your French Menu.