The turbot is roasted on a thin cake of overlapping potato slices and then sauced with a simple pan sauce, garnished with tomatoes and black olives. Turbot is rarely available in the United States, but another flatfish such as a fluke or flounder makes a good substitute.

　　You will need a mandoline or other vegetable slicer to slide the potatoes very thin. Ovenproof nonstick frying pans work best here, so the potato cakes don't stick, but if necessary you can use other 8-inch frying pans or cake pans; line them with rounds of parchment paper.

　　

Ingredients

Serves 2

　　One 1 - pound whole turbot or fluke, gutted and scaled

　　2 medium Yukon Gold Potatoes (about 1 pound total)

　　Leaves from 2 fresh thyme sprigs (about 1 teaspoon)

　　teaspoon kosher salt

　　Freshly ground black pepper

　　2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

　　

FOR THE SAUCE

10 pear or cherry tomatoes (preferably small)

　　cup dry white wine

　　1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

　　1 tablespoon unsalted butter

　　cup pitted Gaeta olives

　　2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

　　Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　2 fresh rosemary springs

　　

PREPARE THE TURBOT:

Step 1

Rinse the fish under cold running water until the water runs clear and no trace of blood remains. Cut off the head and tail with a large knife or cleaver. Use a pair of scissors to cut off the fins, including the two lines of fins that run along the sides of the fish. Cut the fish crosswise in half through the backbone and set aside.

　　

Step 2

Preheat the oven to 450°F.

　　

PREPARE THE POTATO CAKES:

Step 3

Peel 1 of the potatoes and slice very thin on a mandoline. As you slice the potato, arrange the slices in a single layer in a spiral fashion, starting in the center of the pan in an ovenproof 8-inch nonstick frying pan, covering the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with half the thyme, teaspoon of the salt, and pepper to taste and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Repeat to make a second potato cake in a second pan.

　　

ROAST THE FISH:

Step 4

Place one piece of the fish in the center of each potato cake. Put the pans in the oven and roast until the fish is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Transfer the fish to a cutting board.

　　

Step 5

Return the cakes to the oven to brown, about 5 more minutes. Turn the potato cakes out onto two serving plates.

　　

MEANWHILE, PREPARE THE SAUCE:

Step 6

Combine the tomatoes, wine, and vinegar in another medium frying pan and bring to a boil on top of the stove. Reduce the heat and simmer until the liquid is reduced by one-half and the tomatoes are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the butter, olives, and olive oil and whisk to emulsify. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

　　

ASSEMBLE THE DISH:

Step 7

Remove the skin and lift the fish fillets from the bones. Place the 2 halves of each fillet on top of each other, in the center of each cake. Arrange 5 tomatoes around each potato cake. Pour the sauce over the fish and scatter the olives around. Garnish each plate with a sprig of rosemary and serve immediately.

　　Magic in the Kitchen by Jan Bartelsman