Turbot in Light Stock (Rodaballo en Caldo Corto)

Ingredients

• 1 whole turbot (rodaballo)
• water
• 1–2 liters milk
• 1 whole lemon
• to taste salt
• 1 bunch fresh parsley
• white sauce with capers or anchovies

Instructions

1. Clean the turbot by removing the gills. Make an opening along the belly on the dark side and remove the entrails from that side. Using an incision along the back (lomo), carefully extract the main backbone bone and trim away any other crosswise spines that you can reach. Sew the mouth closed with needle and thread, then rub the fish thoroughly with lemon juice.
2. Place the prepared turbot in a suitable cooking pot. Add lightly salted water and bring to a gentle heat. Skim away any foam that rises. Add one or two liters of milk and bring to a boil over good heat, gradually covering the pot. Keep careful watch that it does not boil vigorously (a borbotones), as the fish will fall apart when cooked if the heat is too aggressive.
3. Drain the turbot a quarter hour before serving. Unsew the mouth. Transfer to a table covered with a napkin. Garnish any imperfect spots with fresh parsley sprigs. Serve with a white sauce of capers or anchovies in a sauce boat, or simply with oil and vinegar.