Baked Turbot with Garlic Pil-Pil

This recipe brings a touch of Spanish elegance to your table with minimal fuss. Here's how to make the classic "pil-pil" sauce, a creamy emulsion of olive oil and the fish's natural juices. We're sure you'll love it! 

INGREDIENTS 

1 Whole Turbot (approx. 2kg) 

6 medium potatoes, peeled 

Extra Virgin Olive Oil 

Sea salt, to taste 

6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 

1 dried chili, such as a siling labuyo (optional) 

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

PROCEDURE 

Prepare the potatoes. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Slice the potatoes thinly (approx. 5mm). Grease a baking tray with olive oil, arrange the potato slices in a single layer, and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake for 15 minutes, or until they begin to soften. 

Prepare the turbot. Remove the tray from the oven and place the whole turbot on top of the potatoes. Drizzle the turbot with olive oil and rub sea salt onto both sides of the fish. 

Bake the turbot. Return the tray to the oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the turbot is cooked through and flakes easily. 

Infuse the oil and make the garlic pil-pil. While the turbot is baking, heat 1 cup of olive oil in a pan. Add the sliced garlic and chili (if using) and cook gently until the garlic is lightly golden and fragrant (watch carefully to avoid burning). Add the apple cider vinegar to the oil, give it a quick stir, then turn off the heat and set aside.   

Emulsify the sauce. Once the fish is cooked, remove the tray from the oven. Use a wide wooden spoon or spatula to carefully hold the turbot in place as you tilt the tray, allowing the natural juices from the fish to collect. Pour these juices into the pan of garlic-infused oil (or a mixing bowl). Whisk or stir vigorously to emulsify the oil and fish juices, creating the pil-pil sauce. 

Serve. Arrange the potatoes on a serving plate and place the turbot on top. Pour the pil-pil sauce generously over the fish and serve immediately. 

NOTES:

You can use dry white wine instead of apple cider vinegar for the pil-pil sauce. 

Since our turbot is already scaled and cleaned, there's no need for extra prep!