Turbot, Brill, Halibut, John Dory

Large flatfish are few but famous. Top of the gastronomic list is turbot, a gustatory rival to Dover sole and considered by some to be the finest fish of all. The flavor is succulent, the flesh is white and firm and when cooked, it is tender and moist. Smaller, or “chicken” turbot weighing 2-3 lb/1-1.4 kg are preferred for their serving convenience, but the larger ones, which can weigh as much as 10 lb/4.5 kg, have a finer texture and taste. Their angular, almost square, shape is characteristic, and special pans exist for poaching them. Turbot is native to the North Atlantic, though in North America, Greenland halibut and arrowtooth flounder are sometimes marketed as turbot.