I rarely splurge on halibut. Sure, the texture’s nice—it’s a firm, white fish—but I usually feel there’s just not enough flavour to justify the price tag. Poissonerie Atwater doesn’t have the greatest selection of well-priced, quality fish. But fortunately there was turbot in that day—the buttery local fish I love so much and hope desperately is still sustainable in a year.
And with the extra cash I had left over from not buying halibut, I bought a bunch of mussels and splurged on some clams.
Was it worth it? Well, yes, I think so. I wanted to make a healthy fish recipe from Bonnie Stern’s HeartSmart: The Best of HeartSmart Cooking
But those mussels and clams weren’t in the original recipe, and I had to make sure they’d open if I roasted them, and find out how quickly they’d cook. Turns out that yes, you can roast mussels and clams. They took a bit of extra time to open, but that was okay since the carrots needed the extra time to soften anyway.
Healthy and quick, this recipe—especially if you have a mandoline to grate the carrots. Otherwise, a cheese grater or food processor works. The food processor has more clean-up, though.
Prosecco-Poached Turbot, Mussels and Clams with Herb Vinaigrette
Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup Prosecco vinegar, sherry vinegar, or Champagne vinegar (even white wine vinegar will do in a pinch, though the flavour will be very different).
1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp honey
1/2 tsp dry mustard (or Dijon)
1/2 tsp fresh black pepper
1 shallot or small onion, minced (optional)
1/4 tsp red pepper paste (I used Sriracha. Leave out the honey if the paste you use is sweet and not just hot)
4 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
2 tbsp chopped chives (optional, but great)
2 tbsp olive oil
Fish:
2 turbot fillets (or halibut fillets, though eek! Price tag!), skin removed (ask the fishmonger to do this for you if you don’t have a good knife for skinning fish)
1 tbsp lemon or lime juice
pinch of salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 lb mussels (or more mussels and fewer clams, or vice versa), scrubbed and debearded
5 or so large clams, scrubbed
4 large carrots, grated
1 bunch watercress, spinach, or other tender green, optional
Whisk together all the vinaigrette ingredients except the oil. Then whisk in oil to emulsify. Wash turbot, pat dry with paper towels, place on tray that will fit in the fridge, and sprinkle with lemon or lime juice, salt, and pepper. Place in fridge for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°F. Line a cookie tray or large baking sheet with parchment paper and grate the carrots. Sprinkle over the parchment paper. Place fish on top in a single layer surrounded by scrubbed mussels and clams. Put a second piece of parchment over the seafood. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the fish flakes when you cut into it with a fork or knife. It shouldn’t be translucent, but it shouldn’t be tough and completely opaque-white either. If the mussels and clams haven’t opened yet, remove the turbot fillets to a plate (cover to keep warm) and return the baking sheet to the oven for another 5 minutes, or until they do.
Place fish, mussels and clams on serving platter or plates. Surround with carrots and watercress. Pour vinaigrette over top, or use as a dipping sauce. It’s more intense that way and doesn’t become diluted by the fish juices. But maybe that’s something you want to make it more mild. Your call.
Note: The more finely grated the carrots, the more tender they will be after baking since they don’t have to cook as long. If the carrots are still tough after 8-10 minutes, but the fish is done, remove the fish, cover to keep warm, and return carrots to oven, covered with parchment.
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