Nathan Outlaw’s Turbot with Tartare Sauce

25 minutes prep, 25 minutes cook

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the turbot

1 turbot, about 1.5kg, filleted, skinned and cut into 150g portions, trimmings saved for goujons

50g plain flour

1 egg, beaten

150g Japanese panko breadcrumbs

100g potatoes, such as Maris Piper, peeled and diced

Oil for deep-frying

Light rapeseed oil for cooking

Cornish sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the tartare sauce

1 egg yolk

1 tsp English mustard

1 tsp white wine vinegar

250ml olive or rapeseed oil

50ml double cream

100ml fish stock

2 gherkins, diced

1 tsp each chopped chervil, chives, parsley and tarragon

To finish

1 baby gem lettuce, shredded

100g peas, blanched

50g capers (optional)

50 ml lemon oil

Method

For the goujons, cut the turbot trimmings into 2cm wide strips. Put the flour, egg and breadcrumbs in 3 separate bowls and season the flour with salt.

Pass the goujons through the flour, then the egg and finally roll in the breadcrumbs to coat all over. Set aside until ready to cook.

Simmer the diced potatoes in salted water for about 7 minutes until barely tender. Drain, refresh in cold water and set aside.

To make the sauce, put the egg yolk, mustard and wine vinegar into a bowl and whisk for 1 minute to combine. Slowly add the olive oil, drop by drop to begin with, then in a steady stream, whisking constantly, until the mixture is emulsified and thick. Season this mayonnaise with a little salt.

When ready to serve the fish, finish the sauce. Add the cream to the mayonnaise, then slowly whisk in the hot fish stock, until the sauce is thick enough to just coat the back of a spoon. Add the lettuce and peas to the sauce and heat through for 1 minute. Finally add the diced gherkins and chopped herbs. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Put to one side.

Heat the oil for deep-frying in a deep-fryer or other suitable deep, heavy pan to 180°C. Deep-fry the potato cubes for 4 minutes until crispy and golden. Drain on kitchen paper and keep warm. Lower the oil temperature to 160°C.

Heat a frying pan and add a drizzle of oil. When hot, add the turbot portions and season with a little salt. Cook gently for 4–5 minutes until the fish is lightly golden at the edges. Carefully flip the fish over and remove the pan from the heat. The gentle residual heat will finish the cooking process.

In the meantime, deep-fry the goujons in the hot oil for 2–3 minutes until golden, then remove with a slotted spoon, drain on kitchen paper and season with a little salt.

Spoon the tartare sauce into 4 warmed bowls, piling the peas and lettuce in the centre. Place the turbot fillets on top and arrange the potatoes around the edge. Garnish with the goujons and capers, and add a drizzle of lemon oil if you wish. Serve at once.