I said I would blog some images of dishes that don’t have pictures. I have an illustrated Escoffier and it doesn’t appear there - but despite being illustrated, its actually not - with a few plate photos because its an old book in that style - a new one would use split images of course, but Escoffier type cooking is not very fashionable these days so I don’t think one exist.
Turbot - not an easy fish to cook well as its a bit halfway between flatfish and something chunky like cod. Its meat is - well, meaty like cod, but delicate a bit like sole and a bit like squid as well.
Sauce Normandy - a classic French sauce thats looks very easy, but has four stages. Some people prefer a sauce slightly less claggy - it’s a matter of personal taste. Mines slightly thicker here.
Add one to the other - it’s a great match. Overall cost - this bit of fish was £22, it made enough for two of us, so roughly the same as a bit of fillet steak.
Ingredients :
Fillet of Turbot
Sauce : Normandy
Flour and butter for roux
Fish stock - preferably your own
2 x oyster
Egg yolk
Cream
Butter
Method :
Make the sauce
- Make a simple roux.
- Then thicken with fish stock to make the velouté.
- Add the still hot velouté to egg yolk to make a liason. ( nb : eggs are very yellow here - just how the eggs were )
- Add the oyester, cream and butter to the liquor - coating consistency.
Add water if the sauce starts to split, but try to avoid if possible.
Cook the fish
Turbot as with most fish needs cooking on a high heat. Its possible to crisp up the skin - but its quite substantial and not to everyones taste. Grill if possible, is preferable but fry if not.
