The chef Tomos Parry of restaurant Brat in East London has brought this style of grilling flatfish like turbot over to London from San Sebastian in northern Spain, and it’s just brilliant. You could substitute the brill for monkfish, sea bass or turbot. If you’re looking for something more affordable, perhaps go for sea bream, which is more readily available in supermarkets.

The green sauce here is similar to a salsa verde but without the capers – it’s very light.  

Prep time: 20 minutes | Cooking time: 25-30 minutes

SERVES

six 

INGREDIENTS

1 brill, weighing 1.5-2kg
100ml oil, for cooking
5 sprigs of thyme
1 large lemon, sliced
75ml white wine
Boiled new potatoes, to serve

For the green sauce

1 large bunch of parsley (about 200g)
20g tarragon, leaves picked
1 small shallot, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
Zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
½ tsp Dijon mustard
300ml olive oil

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 220C/200C fan/Gas 7.
To prepare the brill, trim the frills from the sides of the fish with scissors, and make some incisions on the dark skin side – about two or three slashes on each fillet.
Add half the oil, some salt and pepper, and the thyme to a shallow roasting tin. Place the brill on top, dark skin side facing up, and season the fish, including inside the incisions. Place some slices of lemon into the incisions.
Add the wine and three tablespoons of water to the tin, and drizzle the fish with the rest of the oil. Roast on the top shelf for 15 minutes, basting with the cooking liquid now and again.
Meanwhile, make the green sauce. Chop the herbs together with the shallot, garlic and lemon zest, and combine with the rest of the ingredients. Leave to one side.
Check on the fish – if the flesh is coming away from the bone at the thickest part (just behind the head), remove from the oven; otherwise keep basting and return to the oven for another five or 10 minutes.
Carefully lift the fish on to a serving platter and pour over the cooking juices from the tin.
To serve, cut down the middle of the back to the bone, then release the fillets from the bones on both sides. Slide a fish slice under the fillets and lift them off.
Serve with freshly boiled new potatoes and the green sauce.