Turbot à la Normande is a traditional British recipe, based on Charles Elmé Francatelli's recipe of 1861, for a classic dish of turbot stuffed with forcemeat that's baked in butter, mushroom juice and oyster liquor (or anchovy essence) and served with a sauce made from the turbot liquid that's reduced and combined with matelotte sauce. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Turbot à la Normande.
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This is a classic recipe for a Victorian version of Turbot à la Normande that's derived from the chef, Charles Elmé Francatelli's 1861 volume, The Cook's Guide and Housekeeper's & Butler's Assistant. Below you will find both the recipe in its original form and a modern redaction.
Original Recipe
No. 194.—TURBOT à LA NORMANDE
Prepare the turbot as directed in No. 192, and when dished up, put the liquor it has been baked in into a stewpan; boil it down to a fourth part of its original quantity, and add it to some white matelotte sauce, No. 87; pour this over the turbot; garnish round with heart-shaped or oval fried crôutons of bread, and serve.
Clean and scale the fish then remove the backbone and fill the hole in the fish with the forcemeat for whiting. Spread the butter over the base of a baking tin and sit the turbot in this then add the white wine, mushroom juice, oyster liquor (or anchovy essence). Season to taste with salt and black pepper then dot the butter over the fish.
Cover with foil, place in an oven pre-heated to 180°C and bake for about 45 minutes, basting frequently with the pan juices, or until the turbot is cooked through and flakes with a fork.
Carefully set the turbot aside to keep warm. Pour the cooing liquid into a pan, bring to a boil and cook until the volume has reduced to a quarter. Add the matelotte sauce and bring to a simmer. Arrange the fish on a serving plate, pour over the sauce, garnish with the fried crôutons (arrange around the fish) and server immediately.
