How to Cook Turbot - The Victorian Way
Mrs Crocombe shows how to cook Turbot the Victorian way.
She includes the recipe and method so you can make it yourself.
Duration/Time: 5:41
Turbot is one of the grandest fish to serve and was popular with the upper class including Queen Victoria.
Turbot and Flounders are both flatfish as are plaice, dab, sole and many others.
Turbot were regarded as one of the most delicious fish around, hence their price and prestige.
Nowadays they are often farmed, which means they are slightly less expensive compared to those caught in the wild.
If you do not have Turbot, you can use any white fish to recreate this recipe, including fillets of fish.
This dish is called "turbot a l'anglaise" meaning "turbot in the english style".
French was often used for recipes as it was considered more upmarket and fashionable.
Even if a dish was very English, it was given a French name. The vast majority of upper class menus were written in French.
INGREDIENTS:
- Salt
- 50g Butter
- 1 lemon
- A whole Turbot
- Cayenne Pepper
- Fresh spring water
- A lobster, cooked and cooled
- Hand Pounded Roe (fish or lobster eggs)
- 250ml Velouté sauce or melted butter
Method:
First prepare the fish. It should already have been gutted by the fishmonger.
Wash the fish and pat it dry then remove the fins using a pair of scissors.
Next rub all over the fish with half a lemon on both sides.
It is traditional to cook this in a Turbot Kettle but a wok with a lid may also work.
Add boiling fresh spring water to the Turbot Kettle so the fish is covered and sprinkle with salt.
Poach the fish for around 10 minutes. Do not bring the liquid to a rolling boil. Instead keep it at a simmer.
Timing is important. The fish will continue to cook even after the heat has been turned off.
To know when turbot is cooked, insert a sharp knife into the thickest part of the flesh.
If it is cooked through the knife will come out hot to the touch. The flesh should also feel springy.
Make the Velouté sauce
Velouté sauce is made with a butter and flour roux to which hot stock is added. It is like a white or bechamel sauce but with stock.
Add the diced lobster, pounded roe, butter, stock, lemon juice and a pinch cayenne pepper to the saucepan.
Mix it thoroughly then push it through a sieve to remove lumps and puree it.
All the lobster is still there, but the sauce is consistent and velvety with no lumps.
Reheat the sauce when you are ready to serve the turbot.
Once the fish is cooked, it can be served right away on a warmed plate with a garnish of parsley and soup to accompany it.
This meal stays hot whilst the soup is being eaten because the plate has been warmed up and it is a big fish.
Tip:
If your budget cannot stretch to lobster you could use shrimps or prawns but will lose a lot of flavour.