Bouillon-Poached Turbot with Charred Little Gem and Lemon Butter

⏱ 50 min · Serves 2

Silky turbot poached gently in an aromatic vegetable bouillon, served over smoky grilled Little Gem lettuce with a glossy lemon-butter emulsion. Restaurant plating, deceptively calm cooking.

Per serving: 505 kcal · 38.0g protein · 9.0g carbs · 34.0g fat

Ingredients

• 2 turbot fillets, skinless, 160g each
• 1 litre light chicken or fish stock
• 1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced
• 1 leek, white part only, sliced
• 2 strips lemon peel
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 white peppercorns
• 1 small glass dry white wine (100ml)
• 2 Little Gem lettuces, halved lengthways
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 60g cold unsalted butter, cubed
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 tbsp chopped chives
• 1 tbsp chopped dill
• Sea salt flakes and cracked black pepper

Method

1. Combine stock, fennel, leek, lemon peel, bay, peppercorns and wine in a wide pan. Bring to a bare simmer and infuse 20 minutes. Season lightly with salt.
2. Strain the bouillon into a clean wide pan, pressing the vegetables gently. Keep 250ml aside for the sauce; keep the rest at 70-75C (barely trembling, no bubbles).
3. Heat a griddle pan until smoking. Brush the Little Gem halves with olive oil, season, and grill cut-side down 2-3 minutes until deeply charred but still crisp inside. Set aside.
4. Season the turbot and slide into the warm bouillon. Poach 6-8 minutes, depending on thickness, until the flesh is just opaque and flakes at the thickest point. Lift out onto kitchen paper.
5. Meanwhile, boil the reserved 250ml bouillon hard until reduced to about 60ml. Lower the heat and whisk in the cold butter a cube at a time until glossy. Finish with lemon juice, salt and half the herbs. Do not let it boil.
6. Place the charred lettuce on warm plates, sit the turbot on top, spoon over the lemon butter and scatter with the remaining chives and dill. Serve immediately with new potatoes if you like.