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Butter-poached turbot
Serves 6 Starters and mains
Ingredients
- 1 x 11⁄2kg whole turbot, cleaned and gutted (Dover sole, plaice or brill also work well)
- 30g rock salt
- 200ml apple cider vinegar
- 1kg cultured butter (see recipe for cultured butter)
- fresh bread and green salad, to serve
Method
Cover the fish with 20g of the rock salt and set aside at room temperature for at least 2 hours prior to cooking to draw out any excess moisture. Preheat the oven to 100C/212F/Gas 1⁄4.
Half-fill the sink with cold water and put a large saucepan on a medium heat. Add the remaining salt, the vinegar and butter to the pan and bring to a light simmer. Carefully place the pan in the sink of cold water and cool the butter mixture until it reads 65C/150F on a digital thermometer. Whisk thoroughly, then transfer half the butter mixture to a roasting tin large enough to hold the whole fish.
Using the flat edge of a knife against the skin, skim the salt and excess moisture from the fish and use kitchen paper to pat dry. Immerse the fish in the buttery poaching liquor, skin-side up,
then pour the remaining butter mixture over the top of the fish. Slide the tin into the oven and cook for around 1 hour. It’s hard to be exact as larger fish may need as long as 11⁄2 hours. For smaller fish, aim for 10 minutes for every 1cm thickness of the fish. When cooked, the flesh should appear opaque, clean and white but slightly translucent in the centre.
The cooked fish will be quite delicate, so use a large fish slice and very carefully lift it onto a serving plate and season. Take the fish to the table whole, for people to help themselves, alongside fresh bread and a crisp salad.
Sieve and cool the leftover poaching liquor – it can be reused at least once to poach fish again. It should last 2 days, chilled, but can be frozen for up to 6 months.
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