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Fish, Northern, Eastern and Western France

Poached turbot with hollandaise sauce and steamed potatoes

Poached turbot with hollandaise sauce and steamed potatoes is a fish dish for 4 people, ready in 50 minutes, at a moderate difficulty level, for about €5.60 per person. Success depends on poaching the fish very gently and whisking the hollandaise over a very low double boiler so the yolks never scramble.

Tonight, we're celebrating with poached turbot, draped in a lemony hollandaise, and steamed potatoes.

Poached turbot with hollandaise sauce and steamed potatoes
Total time
50 min
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€5.60
Calories per person
450 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Spring, Summer
The kids
They generally like it

Poached turbot keeps a white, firm, pearly flesh that flakes into thick pieces under the fork. The hollandaise, built with butter and sharpened with lemon, brings richness and acidity that lift this mild fish. Plain, tender steamed potatoes soak up the sauce without competing with it.

This is the meal you pull out to mark a Sunday or a dinner with guests, without spending hours in the kitchen. Kids like it too, turbot has no annoying bones and the sauce always wins them over on potatoes. Mon Chou likes to point out that hollandaise just needs a bit of attention, not any special skill.

The ingredients

4 people

Fish counter

  • Turbot steaks 800 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Potatoes 900 g
  • Lemon 1
  • Parsley 3 sprigs

Dairy

  • Eggs 4
  • Butter 200 g

Pantry

  • Coarse saltoften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Fish, Eggs, Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Steam the potatoes. 25 min

    Choose a firm fleshed variety, they hold their shape during cooking.

  2. Prepare a gently simmering court bouillon with water, salt and the juice of half a lemon.

    The water should never reach a rolling boil, or the turbot's flesh would fall apart.

  3. Place the turbot pieces in the simmering water and poach them gently. 10 min

    Turn off the heat and let them finish off the heat, the fish stays moist.

  4. Melt the butter, whisk the egg yolks over a double boiler, then pour in the melted butter little by little. 8 min

    If the sauce splits, add a spoonful of cold water and whisk briskly.

  5. Finish with lemon juice, season with salt and pepper, and serve over the fish with the potatoes.

    Serve right away, hollandaise doesn't like to wait.

Our tips to get it right

  • Take the butter and eggs out ahead of time, a good hollandaise comes together more easily with yolks at room temperature.
  • Keep the potato cooking water, a splash of it can loosen the hollandaise if it thickens too fast.
  • Cut the turbot into even pieces before cooking, so they all poach at the same rate, with none overcooked or underdone.

The variations

  • Swap the turbot for cod or monkfish, firm fleshed fish that hold up well to poaching.
  • For a fish free version, serve the same hollandaise and steamed potatoes with asparagus or poached eggs instead.
  • To go faster with hungry kids, swap the steamed potatoes for mashed potatoes and keep the hollandaise, which spoons over just as easily.

What to serve it with

  • A glass of dry white wine
  • Steamed green asparagus
  • A simple green salad

Storage

Hollandaise doesn't keep, it's best made right before serving and eaten within half an hour. The poached turbot and potatoes keep for 1 day in the fridge in a sealed container, reheated gently so they don't dry out.

Questions about this dish

Why does my hollandaise sauce split?

The sauce splits when the double boiler is too hot or the butter is added too fast, which cooks the yolks instead of emulsifying them. Off the heat, whisk in a tablespoon of cold water to bring it back together.

Can you make hollandaise ahead of time?

No, hollandaise splits or sets as it cools, so it's best made right before serving. You can, however, poach the fish and cook the potatoes a bit earlier and keep them warm.

Can you freeze this dish?

Poached turbot doesn't freeze well, the flesh turns mushy once thawed, and hollandaise can't handle freezing at all. It's best to cook this dish just for the day you plan to eat it.

What fish works if you can't find turbot?

Cod, monkfish or halibut all have a firm flesh that holds up to poaching, just like turbot. Avoid delicate fish, which tend to fall apart in simmering water.

How long does it take to make a poached turbot with hollandaise sauce and steamed potatoes?

Count 50 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a poached turbot with hollandaise sauce and steamed potatoes?

About 450 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a poached turbot with hollandaise sauce and steamed potatoes cost?

About €5.60 per serving, or €22.40 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains fish, eggs, lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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