Turbot, Fennel Croquettes & Pernod Velouté
by Robert Thompson
4
2 hours 10 minutes
Ingredients

Turbot

  • 4 turbot fillets, on the bone
  • flour
  • olive oil
  • 25g of butter, chilled

Fennel croquettes

  • 2 large Kestral potatoes
  • 1 shallot, peeled and chopped
  • 1/2 bulb of fennel, trimmed and finely diced
  • oil
  • 1 knob of butter
  • 1 pinch of fennel seeds
  • plain flour for dusting
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 100g of Panko breadcrumbs (1)

Pernod velouté

  • 1 banana shallot, finely sliced
  • 1/2 bulb of fennel, finely sliced
  • 1 knob of butter
  • oil
  • 150ml of dry white wine
  • 1 dash of Pernod
  • 400ml of fish stock
  • 200ml of double cream

To plate

  • 1 handful of baby leeks
  • 1 handful of baby fennel
  • 1 handful of cobnuts, roasted
  • 4 handfuls of spinach
  • 10g of butter
  • salt
  • black pepper
  • olive oil, for drizzling
  • dill
Method
1
Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas mark 4. For the Pernod velouté, sweat the shallot and fennel in a pan with a little oil and butter until soft. Add the white wine as well as a splash of Pernod. Bring to the boil and reduce
  • 150ml of dry white wine
  • 1 banana shallot
  • 1/2 bulb of fennel
  • 1 dash of Pernod
  • 1 knob of butter
  • oil
2
Add the fish stock and reduce by half before finally adding the cream. Bring back to the boil and reduce until thickened slightly. Strain and adjust the seasoning if necessary
  • 400ml of fish stock
  • 200ml of double cream
3
To make the fennel croquettes, bake the potatoes in the oven until soft and fluffy in the centre (around 1 hour). Scoop out the flesh into a bowl
  • 2 large Kestral potatoes
4
Sweat the shallot and diced fennel in a little butter and oil until soft with a good pinch of fennel seeds. Add this to the potato and season well
  • 1 shallot
  • 1 pinch of fennel seeds
  • 1 knob of butter
  • 1/2 bulb of fennel, trimmed and finely diced
  • oil
5
Roll out the mix into 20g balls and lightly roll in plain flour, then in beaten egg and finally in Panko breadcrumbs
  • plain flour for dusting
  • 1 egg
  • 100g of Panko breadcrumbs (1)
6
Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6. Dust the turbot in seasoned flour shaking off any excess, then fry in a little olive oil for a few minutes until the skin starts to crisp. Turn over and transfer to the oven to roast for 5-7 minutes or until slightly springy to touch
  • 4 turbot fillets
  • flour
  • olive oil
7
Add the butter to the pan and then baste the fish well
  • 25g of butter, chilled
8
Wash the spinach well. Wilt in a hot pan, then add the butter and season. Keep warm. Lightly blanch the fennel and leeks then drain. Place a mound of spinach onto the serving plates
  • 4 handfuls of spinach
  • 10g of butter
  • salt
  • black pepper
  • 1 handful of baby fennel
  • 1 handful of baby leeks
9
Fry the croquettes in a little oil and arrange on the plate with the turbot. Reheat the sauce and spoon around the plate. Scatter the blanched vegetables and cobnuts across the plate. Finish with a few sprigs of dill and a drizzle of olive oil
  • 1 handful of cobnuts
  • olive oil, for drizzling
  • dill
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