Baked Turbot, Saffron Potatoes & Wilted Spinach

So Autumn is officially here again and the evenings are drawing in. I love this time of year when the season of mists descend upon us and mellow fruitfulness transforms our garden(as Keats the poet would say!). I particularly like the log fire now the evenings are getting colder and I never need an excuse to light the candles or open a good bottle of red as I reach for that book I never had time to read but that is another story.
Back to the kitchen and turbot which is often a forgotten fish in the UK and Ireland. In France it is very well regarded and so it should be for the Brittany coast is full of turbot and French chefs have acclaimed it's unique taste and texture for years. It is simply delicious when baked.

You will need:

I fresh turbot
250g butter (+ extra for greasing)
2 saffron stamens crushed
2 waxy potatoes peeled and cut into 1 cm slices
400g baby spinach
3 tablespoons vermouth
1 dessertspoon each of chopped parsley, chives and chervil
1 lemon quartered

Method

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Lightly butter a baking tray and place the turbot on it. Dot with 100g of butter and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Transfer the turbot from the oven to a plate and keep warm. Melt 50g of butter and stir in the saffron, set aside.

Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for 10 minutes or until cooked; drain (retaining the water) and toss in the saffron butter.

Blanch the spinach in the potato water for barely a minute , drain and keep warm.

Place the baking tray with the juices over a moderate heat, add the vermouth and reduce to half the volume. Whisk in 100g of butter, remove from heat, stir in the herbs and season to taste.

Serve the turbot with the potatoes, spinach and herb butter sauce and a lemon wedge.

Don't forget to serve with a nice cool glass of Cabernet Sauvignon.