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