Poached Turbot and Scallops

Serves 2

(If scallops are too expensive you can make this dish with freshwater
mussels)

INGREDIENTS

OLIVE OIL (Of course!!!)
2 shallots finely sliced
3 chopped garlic cloves (you can use only one or two cloves if you are not
that into garlic - we love it)
150 grams of scallops
100 grams of dried (organic) lentils
120 ml of dry white wine
400 ml of fish stock
2 turbot steaks, each weighing about 250 grams
teaspoonful of chopped parsley
teaspoonful of chopped coriander
sea salt, freshly ground black pepper
pinch of saffron
juice of one fresh lemon


Heat slightly salted water and put in lentils, cook until they are soft.

Heat olive oil (gently!) in a large pan. Put in the garlic and shallots. Let
them soften gently, try not to fry or burn them

Add the scallops and let them gently cook with the onion/garlic mix
Add the cooked lentils and slowly pour in the white wine. Bring all this to
the boil.

Pour in the fish stock. Place the two turbot steaks in with these other
ingredients, adding the pinch of saffron now and leave to cook until the
fish is soft. (About five mins, depending on size of steaks. It is clear
when the fish is cooked)

Quarter the lemon

Lift out the fish steaks and scallops and place them into a large bowl/plate
Pour the liquid containing all the other goodies over the fish, dress with
chopped coriander and parsley. Squeeze the juice of the quartered lemon onto
the dish. It is now ready to serve. Because we are fortunate and plenty of
lemons are growing in the garden, I quarter another one or two and set these
sections around the fish as decoration, but this is not necessary

We serve this plate with lightly steamed broccoli (with just a dash of olive
oil) and small new potatoes boiled and dressed with shreds of chopped mint

Now, pour yourself a glass of white wine!!

Enjoy!

PS: If you are using mussels instead of scallops, include them in the
boiling liquid at the same time as putting in the turbot steaks