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Turbot & Chorizo Stew with Curried Courgette Foam

This was my first visit to Fonab and I was suitably impressed from the minute I drove into the hotel grounds. For those who don't know, Fonab Castle Hotel is a 5 star hotel, restaurant and spa in Highland Perthshire on the edge of Pitlochry.  Fonab Castle has breathtaking surroundings in what I can only describe as a fairytale setting, next to beautiful Ben Vrackie and the stunning Loch Faskally.
 
Fonab Castle has two main restaurants, which are the Brasserie and the 3AA Rosette Award Sandeman's fine dining restaurant. In addition to this the hotel offers a fantastic bar where you can sip on a delicious cocktail before or after dinner, as well as offering afternoon tea and private dining options.
 
From the minute you walk into the brasserie and the Sandeman fine dining restaurant, the latter of which is situated on the upper level, you are hit with the stunning loch side views from the floor to ceiling windows. Head chef Grant MacNicol who recently joined Fonab Castle, has prepared for us this week a stunning Turbot and Chorizo recipe.  The dish was cooked to the highest standard using fine ingredients and after my shoot I was able to taste this dish which was absolutely stunning.  I do hope you try making this at home yourself but I would definitely recommend a visit to enjoy lunch or dinner at Fonab. 
 
As their website states, Fonab offers "good food in a laid back atmosphere" and this is exactly what it does. I know I will be returning soon to eat in the restaurant and to enjoy not only that stunning view but the impressive food on offer too.
 
Gill X
Preparation Time:
30 minutes
Cooking Time:
2 hours
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

  • 4 or 6 5oz fillets of turbot
  • 500g of chopped Chorizo Rosario
  • 400g Cannellini beans
  • 250g chopped peppers
  • 250g Red Onions
  • 250g Courgettes
  • 1kg Vine tomatoes blanched and peeled
  • 100g of chopped coriander
  • Courgettes 400g peeled for the Foam (keep green peeled skin for later)
  • 500mls Fish Stock
  • 20g Madras Curry Powder

    For the Turbot

    • Most fishmongers will fillet this down for you as it has to be cut into 7oz portions. If you feel this is on the price side you could use hake of cod.
    • Lightly dust in flour and pan roast with some thyme, garlic and lots of butter.
    • Finish cooking under the grill. Place the fish on cloth to drain before plating.

    For the Chorizo Stew

    • You will need to cut all the ingredients down to the same size, start by putting 50mls of good rapeseed oil in a thick bottomed pan
    • Add the red onions and chorizo and cook down on high heat stirring all the time.
    • After around 10 minutes add the rest of the ingredients to the pan with 300mls of water and let it reduce.
    • Take the tomatoes and blanch in boiling water for 30 seconds. Take them out and add straight to iced water the skins will come off easy after that. Add the tomatoes to the stew and turn down to very low heat cook out for 50 minutes stir every ten minutes.

    For the Courgette

    • Add 25mls of oil to pan and put the peeled and chopped courgettes in with curry powder and cook out on high heat until spices infused well.  This shouls take around 10 minutes.
    • Add the fish stock and turn down the heat. The stock needs to reduce buy half. Cook for about 30 mins.
    • Once cooked blitz down until smooth. Just before you take out food processor add the green peeling back in and blitz down until it turns green and pass through strainer leave aside to cool

    Plating Up

    • Add stew to bottom of bowl and place fish on top.
    • Take your courgette and with hand blitzer foam up add the foam to plate.
    • Dress plate with some edible flowers.

    Nicki's Tuppenceworth

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    Nicki X