Roast turbot & chicken wings

Winter

Turbot, the most revered of flat fish, brims with character and charm. It is a king, made of pure, white muscle and is meatier than the majority of wretched meat we eat everyday. This beautiful fish should never be anything other than the rarest of treats. Chicken wings, on the other hand, are underappreciated, even considered second rate. But, I think, if they’re cooked in the correct way, they are the best part of the bird. Nothing rivals them in flavour or texture: they’re ratio perfected – skin to meat, meat to moisture, moisture to crunch. So, for me, it made complete sense to pair up these two wonderful ingredients. It is simply a case of equality.

Serves 2 (or 4 as a starter)

Ingredients

8 chicken wings
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3–4 rosemary sprigs
3–4 thyme sprigs
4 pieces of turbot fillet (about 400g/14oz), skin on
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Heat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4.

Place the chicken wings in a large roasting tin. Trickle over the olive oil and throw in the herbs. Season well with salt and pepper, then tumble everything together. Place in the oven and roast for 1 hour, turning once or twice.

Take the tray out of the oven and use some tongs to remove the wings to a plate. Turn the fish through the hot, salty chicken fat to coat, then arrange in the tray, skin-side down. Return the wings to the tray and place the whole lot back in the oven for 10–12 minutes, until the fish is just cooked through.

Serve at once with a crisp, green salad.

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