A FABLED FISH

Turbot is widely recognized to be one of the finest fish in the sea. This flat fish grows to a large size with record specimens measuring a metre in diameter and weighing 15kgs. Such a fish takes the star role in a poem by the Roman satirist Juvenal, “The Emperor’s Turbot” in which consternation arises when the imperial kitchen is discovered to have no pot large enough to cook it whole.

Brillat-Savarin, the French gourmet, encountered a similar problem. He solved it by laying the fish in a large basket, enveloped in herbs and covered with a washtub, the whole contraption hoisted in a hammock over a water boiler. Of course, the result was brilliant (and so was the boasting). You can track this story down via Google or read it in in full in Brillat-Savarin’s book, The Physiology of Taste – an entertaining read for foodies.

Nevertheless, good farmed turbot can be of excellent quality and hardly less expensive than wild. Because it is farmed in tanks onshore (rather than in nets at sea) turbot farming poses no serious pollution issues and is regarded as a green source, except for the fact that it needs fishmeal (made from small fish) which is in limited supply. We sell both wild and farmed turbot.

We also sell on-the-bone steaks. For these, we buy smaller turbot because otherwise the steak would be too thick. Cooking turbot or any fish on the bone gives it extra character and usually helps keep it moist. Turbot bones are substantial – you are not going to have a small bones problem.

And we sell whole turbot. On our site you’ll find whole turbot suitable for up to 6 servings. That’s the biggest size you can readily cook at home. But if you fancy doing a Brillat-Savarin, give us a call. We also have a range of turbot for sashimi including the engawa or fin muscle.

CUISINE

Turbot has flakey white flesh but the flakes hang together well when cooked properly. It has a subtle but rich flavor. A large fish can provide up to a dozen servings, and those from the thickest middle part of the body are a uniquely sumptuous experience – these are our fillet steaks, cut from fish never less than 3kgs in size. An important feature of the turbot is its fin muscle. This runs around the edge of the fillet and it has a very different rich and oily texture verging on gelatinous. Normally, our fillet steaks and portions include this fin muscle on one side. We hope you enjoy it.

But as you will gather from the above, in the poshest places, turbot is cooked whole and for this reason, one further distinction of the turbot is to have a dish named specifically after it: the turbotiere is a kite-shaped fish kettle which 100 years ago was a must-have item in the kitchen of every self-respecting stately home. You can usually pick up an attractive old one on the internet for £500 or so but Brillat-Savarin’s turbot would surely have defeated even these. Don’t fancy second hand?... a mere £300 will secure you a modern aluminium one. Believe us - as turbotieres go, that's a bargain.

Fancy one?: edhillerin.fr