flat and fabulous turbot

photo: Marion van Dijk
For years, I would walk past turbot in the fish shop, giving it a sideways look, not convinced about it.

Its soft apricot colour with clinging roe and frilled edges confused me, and I would turn to a fish I was more familiar with.

One day, after endless hounding by my partner, who knew it well from his youth, and feeling emboldened from reading my Rick Stein bible Seafood, I bought a large fillet or two and used Stein's recipe for roasted turbot and sauce vierge.

It was absolutely divine, and now I scour the boards at Guyton's or Collingwood St Fresh Choice, and if I spy turbot, I am in to buy.

Stein has said that turbot is as good as lobster, and went so far as to say on Close Up a few weeks ago while visiting New Zealand that turbot is his favourite fish, and the simpler the better.

He recommends it served with a lemon hollandaise and a few new potatoes. Turbot is a delicate fish but it is also succulent and smooth, and flakes perfectly when cooked. Roasted, it is juicy and tender. The flesh turns white when it is cooked, by the way.

Turbot is a flatfish, and in New Zealand it is from the species Colistium nudipinnis, which differs from European turbot, which comes from the bothidae family.

Despite these differences, turbot in both places tastes very similar.

There are 11 species of flatfish found in New Zealand waters. Most Kiwis are familiar with flounder and sole, and are used to eating them whole. Increasingly, they are also learning about turbot and realising how fabulous it is.

Turbot is considerably bigger than flounder, and is sometimes confused with brill. It grows to about a metre in size with a deep body, twice that of its body length. It lives to a fine old age - around 16 years. It has a low oil content and is high in protein and low in fat, and has moderate amounts of omega 3.

Turbot is found on the west coast of both islands and in some pockets elsewhere, but the commercial harvest is off the West Coast in shallow waters by inshore trawling fleets. Talley's regularly catches turbot, and although it can be caught year-round, the fishing fleet concentrates on other fish for for some months of the year. This explains why turbot isn't always seen in the shops.

Talley's supplies fishmongers, supermarkets, cafes and restaurants throughout New Zealand. In local shops, turbot is almost always seen in fillet form, but Guyton's, for instance, will sell whole fish on request.
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I thoroughly recommend buying a whole turbot and trying the recipe below. Whole turbot, like most fish cooked whole, has its own special, splendid flavours.

Turbot sells for $14.90 a kilogram whole and $19.90 a kg in fillet form. Whole turbot range from 1kg to larger fish as requested. It can be cooked many different ways and it is always delicious. This recipe is one of the best fish dishes I have ever tasted.

ROASTED TURBOT WITH SAUCE VIERGE
Photo: Marion van Dijk

This is an adaptation of Rick Stein's recipe. I have substituted fillets for turbot steaks and changed the recipe slightly.
Buy two large fillets of turbot (larger is better) or four smaller fillets about 800g in total. This will serve four people.

Combine the following ingredients to rub over the fish:

1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
2 tsp chopped fresh lemon thyme
1 bay leaf, finely chopped
1 tsp fennel seeds
Lots of freshly ground black pepper
Sea salt

Grind all of this in a mortar and pestle to combine well, and mix with 75ml local extra virgin olive oil. Rub all over the fish and place the fish in a roasting pan. Leave for about 15 minutes while you make the sauce.

SAUCE VIERGE

75ml extra virgin olive oil (try using some Villa Grove lime oil)
2 Tbsp lemon or lime juice
2 tomatoes, preferably Italian plum tomatoes, cut into small dice
8-10 olives, pitted and sliced
2 anchovy fillets, diced
1 clove of garlic, sliced
A handful of parsley
Salt and pepper

Combine all the ingredients except the parsley and simmer gently for 5-10 minutes.

Heat the oven to 220 degrees Celsius. Roast the fish for about 5-8 minutes. The roasting time will depend on the thickness of the fillet. The fish should be just done.

Add the parsley to the sauce and serve the fish with the sauce either on the side or on top. This is delicious with agria mashed potatoes and some wilted spinach.

BRAISED WHOLE TURBOT

Heat the oven to 200deg C.

Season a whole turbot (1kg-1.5kg) with salt and pepper. Place in a roasting dish with just enough water to stop it sticking about 600ml. Braise uncovered for half an hour.

Transfer the fish to a serving tray and carefully remove the top skin. Keep warm. Reduce the cooking liquid to 3-4 Tbsp.

Melt 2-3 Tbsp of butter and add lots of fresh chopped herbs parsley, tarragon and chives are particularly good. Add the reduced cooking liquid. Pour this over the fish and serve immediately.

When the flesh is removed from the top half of the fish, carefully lift off the bones to access the bottom fillets.

Serve with braised leeks and slow-roasted halved tomatoes.