Seafood Masterclass: Tronçon of Wild Turbot, Shetland Mussels, Monks Beard

Prepared by Russell Plowman at the MCGB Seafood Masterclass

Ingredients: 

1 tronçon of turbot

vegetable oil

100g of butter

lemon juice

300g mussels

250 ml dry white wine

1 banana shallot

1 stick of celery

4 button mushrooms

sprig of thyme

150g butter

100ml vermouth

200ml turbot stock

300ml double cream

salt & pepper

200g monks beard

50g wild garlic shoots

25g samphire

Method:

Start by cooking the turbot. Season the fish with salt. In a large, non-stick frying pan heat moderately and add vegetable oil.

When hot but not smoking, gently caramelise and seal the fish on all sides, turning carefully when a light golden brown colour has been achieved.

Place the fish skin-side down on a piece of baking parchment, in a hot oven set at 200c and cook for approx 4 minutes,

Turn the fish and cook on the other skin side for approx 4 more minutes.

Remove the fish from the oven, and off the heat add fresh butter and season with salt, ground white pepper and baste.

Add lemon juice and allow to rest while you prepare and cook the garnish and sauce.

Cook the mussels in a large stainless steel pan, heat until almost smoking. Add the prepared mussels and white wine.

Place a tight fitting lid and steam the mussels until open, approx 3-4 minutes.

Drain the mussels in a colander and reserve the cooking juices. We will use these to make the sauce.

Remove the mussels from the shell and keep the mussel meat warm.

Discard the shells.

To make the sauce. Sweat gently the sliced banana shallot, celery and button mushrooms with a sprig of thyme.

Add the reserved mussel juice and reduce by two thirds. Add the vermouth and reduce by two thirds. Next add the turbot stock and reduce by two thirds.

Add the cream and bring back to a boil. Reduce slightly.

Strain the sauce through a fine chinois, making sure you squeeze the vegetables with a small ladle to extract as much flavour from the sauce as possible.

Blend with a hand blender adding diced fresh butter. Season with salt, white pepper and lemon juice.

To finish the dish. Gently reheat the mussel meat with a little of the mussel cooking liquor and fresh butter. Fold through and wilt the samphire, monks beard and garlic shoots.

Place the vegetables and mussels into a large serving bowl.

Peel back the skin of the turbot. Brush with fresh butter and dust with dried fennel pollen and season with sea salt.

Blend the sauce and serve apart.