Butter-Poached Brittany Turbot with...Butter-Poached Brittany Turbot with Smoked Dashi Emulsion and Sea Urchin

Velvety, slow-poached Brittany turbot resting on a silk-smooth sunchoke puree, finished with a rich smoked bone dashi-uni emulsion and citrusy bursts of finger lime pearls.

Ingredients

Cooking Instructions

1. 01

   In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, simmer the sliced sunchokes in milk with a pinch of fine sea salt until completely tender, approximately 15 minutes. Transfer to a high-speed blender and process until mirror-smooth, adding 40g of butter. Pass through a fine chinois and keep warm.

2. 02

   Prepare the emulsion: In a small saucepan, bring the smoked kombu dashi and white soy sauce to a gentle simmer (around 60°C/140°F). Transfer to an immersion blender beaker with 60g of sea urchin and yuzu juice. Slowly emulsify in 60g of cold cubed butter until frothy, rich, and aerated. Reserve the remaining uni lobes for plating; hold emulsion warm, not exceeding 65°C to avoid curdling.

3. 03

   Lightly salt the turbot pavés 10 minutes prior to cooking. In a wide, shallow saucier, gently melt the remaining 200g of cultured butter with 50ml of water to create a stable beurre fondue held at precisely 54°C (129°F).

4. 04

   Submerge the turbot pavés into the butter bath and gently poach for 10–12 minutes until the core reaches 48°C (118°F) and the flesh is translucent, flakey, and tender. Remove delicately with an offset spatula and drain on a warm wire rack.

5. 05

   Quickly blanch the samphire in boiling water for 30 seconds, then toss immediately in a drop of the turbot poaching butter to coat.

6. 06

   To plate: Spoon a circular swipe of warm sunchoke silk in the center of four warm shallow bowls. Place a turbot pavé gently atop the puree and season the fish with a trace of fleur de sel.

7. 07

   Froth the sea urchin emulsion with an immersion blender to create an airy foam. Spoon the froth generously around the base of the fish. Drape a raw lobe of reserved uni onto each fillet, scatter glistening finger lime pearls and blanched samphire, and garnish with bronze fennel.