A guide to modern cookery

Turbot is generally served boiled, accompanied by freshly cooked, floury potatoes, and the cases are exceptional when, cooked in this way, it is dished with any other garnish. All fish sauces may be served with turbot. When, for the sake of variety, or in pursuance of the consumer’s wishes, turbot has to be braised or garnished, it is best to select a medium- sized fish, i.e., one weighing from eight to twelve lbs., thick, very fleshy, and white. Unless expressly ordered, it is best to avoid surrounding the piece with its garnish. Preferably, send the latter to the table in a separate dish, as also the sauce. By this means the service is expedited, and, more important still, the fish is quite hot when it reaches the table. It is granted that the sight of a dish containing a fine, richly garnished and tastefully arranged piece is flattering to the host, but it would be a pity that the quality of the fish should thereby suffer, more particularly as the gourmet is not satisfied with sightliness alone. I explained at the beginning of this chapter, under ‘‘ Boiled Fish’ (No. 776 and 779), the details relating to this method of cooking, especially with regard to its application to turbot. For the braising and garnishing of turbot, the reader is begged to refer to the recipes concerned with chicken-turbot. These recipes may be applied to turbot, provided the difference in the size of the fish be taken into account in reference to the time allowed for braising and the quantities of the garnishing ingredients. 924—COLD TURBOT Whether whole or sliced, cold turbot makes an excellent dish, if the fish have not been cooked too long beforehand. It will be found that turbot, especially when sliced, tends to harden, crumple, and lose its flavour while cooling. It is therefore of the greatest importance that the fish should have just cooled after cooking, and that the cooking-liquor should have barely time to set; otherwise the evil effects of cooling, mentioned above, will surely ensue. When served, just cooled, with one of the cold sauces suited to fish, turbot can vie in delicacy even with such fish as salmon or trout, which are usually served cold. 925—TURBOTINS (CHICKEN-TURBOTS) Turbotins (chicken-turbots) may rank among the most delicate and nicest of fish. Their varying sizes allow of their being served either for three, four, or ten, or twelve people; they are, moreover, tender and white, and they lend themselves to quite a vast number of culinary preparations. They may be served boiled, like the turbot; grilled; a la Meuniére; fried; aw gratin, like the soles; or braised, like the salmon and the trout. They are most often served whole, garnished and with sauce; but, in order to simplify the process, they may be filleted, the fillets being poached and dished with a garnish and the selected sauce. Whatever be the method of preparing the chicken-turbot, whether it be boiled, poached, or braised, the spine should always be cut in one or two places. The gash should be just in the middle of the back where the flesh is thickest, and the fillets on either side of the gash should be partly separated from the bone. The object of this measure is to prevent deformation during the cooking process and, also, to precipitate the latter. 926—TURBOTIN A L’AMIRAL Gash the back of the fish, and partly separate the under fillets from the bones. Lay it on a grill, and moisten, sufficiently to cover it, with previously-cooked court-bouillon with Sauterne wine. As soon as the court-bouillon boils, allow the fish to cook ten or twelve minutes for every two lbs. of its weight. This done, drain it; dish it, and coat it twice with melted, red butter.