BBQ turbot, smoked pike's roe and Champagne butter sauce

Simon Ulph

Simon Ulph

27th August 2026
Simon Ulph

BBQ turbot, smoked pike's roe and Champagne butter sauce

75 min

Simon Ulph, head chef of the Rowan restaurant at Rothay Manor in Ambleside, shares his recipe for BBQ turbot with smoked pike's roe and a Champagne butter sauce. 


A whole brined turbot is seared hard over charcoal for colour, then moved to a higher shelf to slow-cook over juniper branches for a gentle smoke, and served with a rich Champagne beurre blanc, blanched potato, macerated kohlrabi, smoked pike's roe and a nasturtium oil dressing.

Ingredients

turbot

  • 1x5kg turbot
  • 1 litre water
  • 100g salt

Champagne sauce

  • 200g roasted turbot and Champagne stock
  • 50g good quality creme fraiche
  • 250g unsalted butter
  • 5g lemon juice
  • 20g fresh Champagne
  • salt to taste

garnish

  • chopped seaweed
  • chives
  • small Parisian scoop of blanched potato
  • small Parisian scoop of macerated kohlrabi
  • smoked pike roe
  • nasturtium oil

Method

turbot

Fillet the turbot and brine for 15 min.
To make the brine, boil the salt in the water and chill right down.

sauce

Put the stock, creme fraiche lemon juice in a pan.
Bring to a boil and then blend in the butter, season with salt and the fresh Champagne.

plating

Cut a good size portion of turbot and leave out to temper, get a bbq raging hot.
Get a little colour on the presentation side and the put the fish up on a slightly higher shelf to slower cook, throwing on a couple of fresh juniper branches to give a little smoke.
Whilst the turbot finishes cooked and resting warm up your balls in a little sauce, with seaweed, chives and slightly split with the nasturtium oil.
Trim up the turbot and place in the middle of the plate, scatter you garnish around, froth a little of the sauce around and then add a big scoop of smoked pike's roe.

Built by Chefs. Powered by You.

For 18 years, The Staff Canteen has been the meeting place for chefs and hospitality professionals—your stories, your skills, your space.

Every recipe, every video, every news update exists because this community makes it possible.

We’ll never hide content behind a paywall, but we need your help to keep it free.

If The Staff Canteen has inspired you, informed you, or simply made you smile, chip in £3—less than a coffee—to keep this space thriving.

Together, we keep the industry connected. Together, we move forward.