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The main dish, French classic

Turbot with hollandaise sauce

Turbot with hollandaise sauce is a classic French fish dish for 6 people, poached in court bouillon and served with a lemony hollandaise and new potatoes. It takes 30 minutes of active work for a 50 minute total, with the hollandaise and potatoes made just before guests arrive. Budget about €12.80 per person for a medium difficulty dish, and the key to success is cooking the sauce over a gentle double boiler.

Pearly turbot steaks with a lemony hollandaise that pours just right, new potatoes on the side, a true classic.

Turbot with hollandaise sauce
For
6 people
Work
30 min
Total time
50 min
Prep
Prepared the same day
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€12.80
Calories per person
510 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach

Turbot is a flat fish with firm, pearly flesh that flakes into thick pieces once poached. Its mild flavor leaves plenty of room for hollandaise, a butter sauce whisked with egg yolks and brightened with lemon, which pours over the fish without overpowering it. It takes a bit of technique but stays approachable, as long as you keep the sauce gentle and warm.

Serve it for a slightly dressed up dinner with friends, a Sunday family meal, or any occasion that calls for an unfussy French classic. New potatoes, simply boiled and buttered, round out the plate without weighing it down. It works well in spring and summer, when turbot is at its best, and also suits a more formal fall dinner.

The schedule

What happens when, so you can be with your guests instead of in the kitchen.

  1. The day before Nothing to do
  2. The same day 1 step
  3. Before the guests arrive 3 steps, 30 min
  4. When it's time to serve 2 steps, 10 min

In the morning, clarify the butter so it's ready without last minute work. Just before guests arrive, boil the potatoes and make the hollandaise, keeping it warm over the turned off double boiler and covered with plastic wrap. At serving time, poach the turbot steaks for about ten minutes and plate right away, with the sauce served separately in a small pitcher.

The ingredients

6 people

Fish counter

  • Turbot steaks 6

Fruits and vegetables

  • New potatoes 1.2 kg
  • Lemons 2
  • Dill 0.5 bunch

Dairy

  • Egg yolks 4
  • Butter 220 g

Pantry

  • White wine vinegaroften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Peppercornsoften in the pantry 6
  • Fish stock cube 1
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Fish, Eggs, Lactose

The recipe, moment by moment

The same dayDuring the day, whenever you get a moment.

  1. Clarify the butter by melting it gently, skimming off the foam, and pouring off the clear yellow butter, leaving the milky solids behind.

    Warm clarified butter won't make the sauce split.

Before the guests arriveThe last hour, right before the doorbell rings.

  1. Boil the new potatoes in salted water, then keep them warm with a little butter. 20 min

    Start them in cold water for even cooking.

  2. Make the hollandaise. Reduce the vinegar with the crushed peppercorns, add the yolks and a splash of water, whisk over a double boiler until the mixture thickens, then whisk in the butter a little at a time. 10 min

    If the sauce starts to split, whisk in a spoonful of cold water.

  3. Stir in the juice of one lemon, season with salt, and keep the sauce in a warm bowl over the turned off double boiler.

    Cover with plastic wrap so the sauce doesn't form a skin.

When it's time to serveThe final touches, right in front of your guests.

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a simmer with the stock cube and lemon juice, add the turbot steaks, and let them poach. 10 min

    Take the pot off the heat at the first simmer, the fish keeps cooking gently.

  2. Drain the steaks, plate with the potatoes, spoon over some hollandaise, and scatter with dill.

    Serve the rest of the sauce on the side in a pitcher, so everyone helps themselves.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick turbot steaks of the same thickness so they all finish poaching at the same time.
  • Make the hollandaise shortly before serving rather than far ahead, it holds warm better than it reheats.
  • If you don't have a thermometer, test the sauce on the back of your hand, it should feel warm, never hot.

The variations

  • Swap the turbot for cod or sea bass, two firm white fish that poach the same way.
  • For a quicker version, make a blender hollandaise by pouring hot melted butter over the yolks, less silky but much faster.
  • Add poached green asparagus in spring, it pairs naturally with the butter sauce.

What to serve it with

  • A dry, mineral white wine
  • Poached green asparagus in season
  • A simple green salad afterward

Storage

Hollandaise doesn't keep, eat it the same day since it separates in the fridge. Poached turbot and potatoes keep for 1 day in the fridge in a sealed container, reheat gently without the sauce.

Questions about this recipe

How do you keep hollandaise from breaking?

Keep the heat gentle under the double boiler and pour in the clarified butter in a thin stream while whisking nonstop. If it starts to split, whisk in a spoonful of cold water off the heat right away.

Can you use a different fish instead of turbot?

Yes, cod, sea bass, or monkfish poach the same way and pair just as well with hollandaise. Turbot is prized for its firmer texture and delicate flavor.

How do you plate this dish nicely?

Set the drained turbot steak in the center of the plate, arrange a few potatoes around it, spoon some sauce over the top, and finish with a few sprigs of dill. Serve the remaining hollandaise on the side in a small pitcher.

Can this be made for more than 6 people?

Yes, just scale up the fish and potatoes proportionally. For the hollandaise, make two separate batches instead of one large one, it's easier to whisk up in smaller amounts.

Can a turbot with hollandaise sauce be made ahead?

Yes, during the day. The recipe needs 30 min of work in total, split up like this, the same day, 1 step, before the guests arrive, 3 steps, when it's time to serve, 2 steps.

How long does it take to make a turbot with hollandaise sauce?

Allow 50 min in total, including resting and cooking time, of which 30 min is actual work. The recipe is rated "medium".

How many calories are in a turbot with hollandaise sauce?

About 510 kcal per person, for a recipe meant for 6 people. The calories are calculated by Kiloach, your kilo coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a turbot with hollandaise sauce cost?

About €12.80 per person, that's €76.80 for 6 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains fish, eggs, lactose. Remember to ask your guests about their allergies before putting your menu together.

To round out your menu

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330 kcalcalculated by Kiloach

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Crêpes Suzette

  • 1 h of work
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