Three tasty recipes to serve four...
BAKED BUTTERED TURBOT, SAFFRON POTATOES AND WILTED SPINACH
1kg turbot on the bone
good quality butter
pinch crushed saffron stamens
4 waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into 1cm slices
800g baby spinach
half glass vermouth
1 tbsp each chopped parsley, chives and chervil
1 lemon, trimmed and quartered
Lightly butter a baking tray and place the turbot in it. Dot with another 100 grams of butter and bake in a preheated oven at 200 degrees/gas six for 30 minutes, testing for doneness in the final five minutes. Remove the fish from the baking pan, draining all the juices, transfer to a plate and keep warm. Melt 50 grams of butter and stir in the saffron, set aside.
Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for eight to 10 minutes or until cooked, drain and toss in the saffron butter. Blanch the spinach in the same water for barely a minute, drain and keep it warm.
Place the baking tray over a moderate heat, add the vermouth and boil down to half the volume. Whisk in another 100 grams of butter, remove from the heat and stir in the herbs and check seasoning.
The fish should yield four fillets; simply slide your knife down the backbone and ease them away. Serve with the potatoes, spinach, herb butter sauce and a lemon wedge.
GRIDDLED SCALLOPS, BALSAMIC VINEGAR AND BUTTERED LENTILS
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
3 slices of pancetta, finely chopped
olive oil
quarter tsp turmeric
half tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
2 400g tins lentils
bunch parsley, stems removed and finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
tbsp unsalted butter
20 scallops
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
4 tbsp chicken stock
1 lemon
Gently sauté the onion, carrot and pancetta in three tablespoons of oil for 10-15 minutes without colouring. Add the turmeric, coriander and cumin and continue cooking for a further two minutes. Add the lentils, stir so they are well coated and add the parsley and garlic. Cook briefly for one minute and then add enough water to cover the lentils. Season with salt and pepper and simmer over a gentle heat for 15-20 minutes, or until most of the water has evaporated, add a little more water if necessary, so you have a sloppy consistency, stir in the butter and when it has melted set aside.
Remove the coral from the scallops, as well as the gristle-like semi-circle usually left on, which is what attaches the scallop to its shell; it is not very pleasant eating. Pat dry and toss the scallops in a scant dessert spoon of oil. Season generously with salt. Cook on a ridged griddle pan or in a dry frying pan. Both need to be really hot. Cook for about one minute on each side, or until just golden brown. Any more and they start to dry out.
Remove from the pan, deglaze the pan with the balsamic vinegar and add the chicken stock. Allow to bubble up, simmer for a minute or two and then remove it from the heat. Serve the scallops on top of the lentils with a spoonful of the sauce.
POT-ROASTED CHICKEN, HERB BUTTER AND GREEN BEANS
200ml whipping cream
bay leaf
6 peppercorns
half an onion, sliced
250g unsalted butter at room temperature
1 garlic clove, crushed with salt
2 handfuls coarsely chopped herbs (flat parsley, tarragon, basil and chervil plus a little thyme and rosemary)
Tabasco to taste
4 fistfuls green beans, picked and washed
nutmeg
4 chicken breasts rubbed with olive oil and a little lemon juice
Bring the cream to the boil with the bay leaf, peppercorns and onion. Draw it off the heat just before it comes to the boil and set aside to infuse. Combine the butter, the garlic clove, herbs and Tabasco and salt to taste in a bowl and mix. You can use a processor, but don't blitz it to a green pulp.
Heat a small casserole dish and when it's hot, place the chicken breasts, skin side down and leave for four or five minutes, or until the skin goes golden brown. Season with salt and pepper, turn over and season the skin side. Continue cooking for a further eight minutes. Remove the chicken to a warm dish and set aside.
Meanwhile blanch the beans in boiling water until almost tender. No need to salt the water. Drain and refresh them under cold water. Add the beans to the pan and cook over a moderate heat, stirring all the time, for five minutes. Add the cream, stir into the beans and season with nutmeg, salt and pepper. Place on four plates, add a chicken breast to each one and top with a scoop of the herb butter.