from
Behind the French Menu
by
Bryan G. Newman
behindthefrenchmenu@gmail.com
Gilthead seabream.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/hisgett/5729989321/
Gilthead is a firm, tasty fish with a silver colored skin; they will be on French menus sautéed, grilled or baked. The names dorade or daurade are used interchangeably. Larger fish, certainly all those over one kilo, are caught in the Mediterranean while most of the smaller fish will have come from sea-water fish-farms. If it is my choice I will choose a filet from a larger fish as I prefer fish caught at sea; in the sea, all fish have a wider selection of food, and with fish, you very much are what you eat. Despite that caveat, the smaller farmed fish are tasty fish, and they will be on more menus.
Gilthead on ice
Photograph courtesy of Duncan Hull
https://www.flickr.com/photos/dullhunk/7095715239/
When ordering gilthead, or for that matter, any other fish on French menus, read the translations from the French carefully. Do not confuse the dorade or daurade royale, the gilthead seabream, with the daurade rose, the bluespotted seabream. The bluespotted seabream is an excellent fish; however, its cousin the gilthead is the juicier choice.
The gold band between the eyes gave the gilthead its name.
Gilthead seabream on French menus:
Dos de Filet de Daurade Royale de Ligne Poêlé à l'Huile d'Olive – A thick cut from a large gilthead caught with rod and line lightly fried in olive oil. When a French menu notes “caught with a rod and line” that indicate that the fish was caught at sea and did not come from a sea farm. Whether it was trapped in a net or with a rod and line is another story. Dos de filet indicates a thick cut and that cannot come from small farm-raised fish. On this menu listing the oil used for frying is noted; French diners know the benefits of olive oil and chefs will make sure that is on the menu, especially if it is French olive oil.
Whole fried gilthead.
Filet de Daurade Royale Grillé au Safran - Grilled filet of gilthead flavored with saffron, the herb. Saffron is the most expensive herb in the world, and despite it requiring hand harvesting it is still grown in France; however, here as the origin of the saffron used is not noted this may well be an import.
Gilthead roasted with rosemary butter.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/purpaboo/4499071875/
Dorade Royale Enrobée d'une Bisque d'Oursin – Gilthead served covered by a creamy bisque made from sea urchin roe. Bisques are traditionally made from seafood, and the only edible part of a sea urchin is its roe.
Grilled gilthead
seabream
www.flickr.com/photos/68147320@N02/36588411451/
La Dorade Royale Grillée Pour 2 Personnes - A large gilthead grilled that will be served for a minimum of two diners. When you see a French menu listing like this ask your waiter for more information; a simply grilled gilthead is an excellent way to enjoy this fish as the fish’s natural taste is preserved. Despite that there may be other options available; a gilthead grilled with France’s much-loved herb group Les Fine Herbes adds an enjoyable light herb flavor.
Dos de Filet de Daurade Royale Poêlé à l'Huile d'Olive, Risotto de Blé Vert au Lait de Soja et Jeunes Pousses de Roquette au Parmesan - A thick filet cut from a large gilthead, lightly fried in olive oil; served with a risotto made from green wheat, soya milk and young shoots of rocket and flavored with Parmesan cheese. Note once again the chef indicates the oil used; even small French restaurants usually will include the oil used in their menu listing. Blé Vert, green wheat, more often called frik or freekeh, is a basic ingredient in North African cuisine; alongside bulgur wheat, it is very much in fashion. Green wheat with its different texture and taste creates a new take on risotto; the wheat itself is simply made by toasting and cracking wheat seeds that are still soft.
Gilthead seabream
https://www.flickr.com/photos/biodivlibrary/20850853616/
The gilthead seabream in the languages of
France’s neighbors:
(Catalan – orada), (Dutch – goudbrasem), (German – goldbrasse), (Italian – orata), (Spanish – dorada), (Latin - sparus aurata).
The gilthead seabream in other languages:
(Basque – urraburua), (Corse – laurata or
orata), (Hebrew – דניס, denis and chipura ),
(Greek – τσιπούρα, tsipoúra ), (Latin - sparus aurata), (Lebanese Arabic – ajâj),
(Occitan –aurada),
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Behind the French Menu
by
Bryan G. Newman
behindthefrenchmenu@gmail.com
Copyright 2010, 2012, 2013, 2019
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