Cassell's dictionary of cookery

Turbot, Broiled (another way).— Marinade the turbot in sweet oil, salt, pepper, &c., and broil it on a slow fire: it cannot be sufficiently done in this way in less than an hour. When you serve, cover with caper sauce, which is to be made as follows : — Make some melted butter with a little glaze in it ; when melted, throw in some essence of anchovies, a few capers, and a drop of vinegar. Then give a good seasoning, and pour the sauce over the fish. Turbot, Broiled, with Caper Sauce. — Take a small fish emptied and washed, make an incision in the back down to the bone ; then wipe it quite dry ; next lay it in a dish to steep in salt, pepper, and sweet oil ; put in very little oil, as it requires only sufficient to prevent it from drying. Half an hour, or even threequarters of an hour, before dinner-time, broil the fish over a slow fire on both sides, and serve up with caper sauce. Turbot, Carving of.—Run the fish-knife down from a to b, quite through the bone {see Fig. p. 1000); then cut slices in the direction of the dotted lines c e and c d. Turbot, Choosing of.— A middle-sized fish is the best. Turbot ought to be thick and of a cream-coloured white. If of a bluish tint and thin it is not good. The flesh ought to feel springy under pressure from the finger. Sometimes turbot is slightly disfigured by having two or three red spots on the under side, and may be bought at a cheaper rate in consequence. These spots often disappear when they are rubbed with salt and lemon. Tnrbot is at its best from April to September. Turbot, Cold, To Serve a Second Time. — Turbot is so delicious and so expensive that none of it should be wasted. The cold remains may be served in various ways, the different recipes for which are here given. They may be warmed in white sauce (see Turbot a. If Bechamel and a la Creme), served with breadcrumbs {see Turbot a la Creme Gratine) ; they may be made into salad [see Turbot Salad), or curried, or pickled, or scalloped, or made into croquettes, or into a turbot pie, or into patties or vol-au-vents, or cut into neat pieces, and TUB ( 1002 ) TUR served cold with shrimp chutney. The following is a simple and excellent recipe for dressing cold turbot a second time : — Remove the skin and the bones, and ■ divide the flesh into neat pieces convenient for serving. Warm any cold sauce that may be left, and stir in with it a fourth of its quantity in milk or cream, and add a few drops of anchovy essence and a Httle pepper and salt. Put the pieces of fish into the sauce, and let them heat through, but do not let them boil. Serve the fish very hot. Tune, three or four minutes to heat the fish. Turbot, Cold, with Shrimp Chutney.— Lift the flesh from the bones, free it from skin, and divide it into neat pieces. Lay it on a dish, garnish with green parsley, and send the following preparation to table with it : — Shell a pint of fresh shrimps, mince them finely, pound them to a smooth paste, and season with cayenne and a little salt if required. Mix with them lucca oil and best vinegar, enough to make a smooth paste. The proper proportions are one spoonful of vinegar to two of oil, but in regard to this individual taste must be consulted. The chutney when finished should be of the consistency of thick boiled custard. A little finely-minced shallot may be added or not.