Chef Colm Tuohy’s simple slow-roasted turbot recipe highlights the delicate sweetness of the fish with olive oil infused with zesty lemon, fragrant thyme, and salty anchovies. He recommends preparing the infused oil an hour in advance for the best flavour. With 30 years of experience in professional kitchens across Dublin, London, and Germany, Chef Colm shares his passion for helping you cook delicious, sustainable seafood on his website, Cockles and Mussels. Explore more of his recipes there!
Most fish can be roasted using this method, but brill is the best alternative to turbot for a similar flavour and texture. Brill shares the same firm, sweet flesh, making it ideal for slow roasting with the same infused oil of zesty lemon, thyme, and anchovies.
Ingredients for 2-3:
- 1 whole turbot
- the zest of 2 lemons (then peel and segment the flesh of 1 for use in the dressing later)
- 2 peeled garlic cloves
- 10g / half oz of thyme leaves
- 2 teaspoons of flakey sea salt
- 50 ml of the oil from a tin of anchovies
- 150 ml of extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons of capers
- 10g / half oz of chopped parsley
Method:
1. First make your oil for roasting the fish by combining the garlic, lemon zest, thyme, and sea salt in a motor and beating it up roughly with a pestle. Next add in the oil from the anchovies followed by olive oil and give everything a good stir. Allow the oil to infuse for an hour before you cook the fish.
2. Pre-heat your oven to 150c / 300f
3. Next prepare your turbot by removing the guts if your fish monger hasn’t done so already. Than trim off the fins at the side of the fish with a sharp scissors. Finally cut an incision down the center of the fish at the back bone and around the side of each fillet. Do this on both sides of the fish. It helps it cook more evenly and allows the flavours to penetrate its sweet flesh.
4. Place your turbot in a large roasting tray and pour over the oil massaging it into the fish. Place the fish into the pre-heated oven and cook for approximately 45 minutes basting the fish in the oil every 10 to 15 minutes so it stays moist. When the 45 minutes are up turn the oven off and allow the fish to rest and finish cooking in the residual heat.
5. While the fish is resting make the dressing by pouring off 100 ml of the oil from the fish and adding in the reserved lemon segments, capers, and freshly chopped parsley.
6. To serve the fish gently slid the fillets from each side of the fish and put them on warmed plates before spooning over the dressing. This whole roast turbot goes well with some new boiled potatoes and a green salad.
7. Enjoy!
