Out & About September 2017

OA food & drink

Turbot charged

GET COOKING

HOLLANDAISE SAUCE 125g butter 2 egg yolks ½ tsp white wine vinegar or tarragon vinegar pinch salt splash ice cold water lemon juice cayenne pepper Melt 125g butter in a saucepan and skim any white solids from surface. Keep the butter warm. Put 2 egg yolks, 1/2 tsp tarragon vinegar or white wine vinegar, a pinch of salt and a splash of ice-cold water in a metal or glass bowl that will fit over a small pan. Whisk for a few minutes then put the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water and whisk continuously until pale and thick, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and slowly whisk in the melted butter, bit by bit until it’s all incorporated and you have a creamy hollandaise. (If it gets too thick, add a splash of water.) Season with a squeeze of lemon juice and a little cayenne pepper. Keep warm until needed.

Good value and a favourite with chefs, it’s time to splash out on one of the unsung stars of the sea – a bit of turbot, suggests SIMON RHODES

F ish prices have fluctuated to such an extent lately that cod has risen by nearly a third, salmon has increased yet again and even hake and mackerel have become expensive. It’s not all bad news though; turbot, a chef’s favourite, is now quite cheap, so it is an ideal time to eat this amazing fish. Known as the king of the sea, turbot is a highly-prized table fish, which provides firm white flesh with a delicate flavour, and is therefore caught commercially. Spain catches the most turbot, with Britain, France and Germany taking the rest of Europe’s catch. Turbot is a widespread flatfish around British waters and are caught mostly by beam trawling. It is seen as being more common in the south and west of the British Isles and to an extent this is true. However, the north of Scotland has some of the UK’s best turbot fishing sites, and it is perfectly possible to catch this species from the North East and North Yorkshire coastlines. Turbot are hunters and feed mostly on small fish. In summer they will take sand eels, sprats and even smaller mackerel, which are

abundant at that time of year. In winter they will feed on species such as whiting and rockling, as well as taking crabs and prawns if they are present. Similar to brill, they are easily identified by their sandy-coloured skin and small ‘bobbles’ on their top side. Turbot is well liked for good reason: one fish provides four decent-sized fillets; the flesh – which is stark white and firm with large flakes – holds together during cooking; and it has a subtle taste-of-the-sea flavour. This fish is best cooked on the bone, preferably whole and poached. Its delicate white flesh holds together well and is best suited to steaming or poaching or even en papillote. It should be accompanied by a simple sauce or dressing, such as a hollandaise or even a light champagne sauce, so as not to overwhelm the fish. This star of the sea is a delight and should be treated with the upmost respect. It should be revered and shown off around the dinner table with some ‘foodies’ that you invite over for special dinners. So, if ever there was a time for that special dinner and for showing off this amazing fish, then now is it.

CHAMPAGNE SAUCE 50g/1¾oz butter 2 medium shallots, finely sliced 150ml/5fl oz dry white wine 150ml/5fl oz fish stock 150ml/5fl oz double cream 110ml/3¾fl oz champagne 2 tbsp chopped chives

Heat a frying pan until medium-hot, add the butter and the shallots and fry for a couple of minutes, or until softened, but not browned. Add the white wine and cook until the volume of liquid has reduced by half, then add the fish stock and cook until reduced by half again. Add the cream and cook once more until reduced by one-third. Strain through a fine sieve into a clean pan, check the seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

Simon Rhodes owns: The Lobster Pot Fishmongers. Cobbs Farmshop, Bath Road, Hungerford, Berkshire RG17 0SP Telephone: 01488 686770 About the author

37