(Photo by Mike Magers) / 2. Aitor’s skill on the grill involves managing heat and cooking length to achieve the right level of doneness, without drying out the fish. As homage to him I wanted to share the story of this man whose legacy of simple cooking using good products can be an example to cooks and chefs everywhere. Sasha spent two years at America's Test Kitchen where he created and tested recipes. Turbot is easiest to cook when filleted – ask your fishmonger to do this. Of course the turbot is a must but (not joking) ask for instructions how to eat it. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy. I may not have sorted out a place to stay, or even a plane ticket yet, but I've already mapped out an aggressive and detailed eating itinerary. (Photo by Matt Goulding) Elkano is the best fish restaurant in the world—period. T.F. Part of the secret of the turbot lies in keeping the fish whole and the skin on, which protects it from drying out, along with regular squirts of olive oil and lemon. Elkano is also known for using the whole fish—and always has, long before head-to-tail cuisine was fashionable. Here you will get the best fish dish – char-grilled turbot. It also happens to be an asador. Finally there's the head. Unless you have a compelling need to dine there, I would advise one of the local casual seafood establishments. At the restaurant they grill the Turbot with a unique fish basket that limits direct contact between the fish and grill grates. Turbot has a flavour similar to something like a Dover sole, but the texture is much firmer, more like halibut. All rights reserved. : Hi Aitor, we are here at the restaurant Elkano. Being a flat fish, turbot is well-suited for the grill, as each side cooks relatively evenly (although one cooks faster than the other, more on that in a second). Bacalao a … Some historians believe that Basques landed i… How to Make Basque Fish Soup. Elkano、ゲタリアの写真: Turbot on the grill at Elkano - トリップアドバイザー メンバーが投稿した写真 (1,236 件) およびElkanoの動画をチェック Turbot, or rodaballo, waiting to be grilled. Now the magic happens. There were numerous theories why but I will say the version served at the restaurant had more finesse and characteristics of a world-class wine, with less acidity and effervescence from CO2. It was taken to a nearby station, where it was filleted, then returned to our table and served onto our plates. The version with pil pil sauce (olive oil, parsley, and garlic) is addictive; complex, full in flavour, and remarkably pure. All the best chefs in the area revere Elkano for its flawless but simple execution of fish. Located in the idyllic fishing town of Getaria, Elkano is one of Basque Country's best fish restaurants to savour turbot. Tchokotxas or hake cheeks The restaurant is local and sustainable in practice procuring seafood from the Getaria area and local seafood nurseries. After he passed away a few years ago, Aitor took over running the restaurant. Choose turbot with creamy-white flesh. Turbot, or rodaballo, waiting to be grilled. And with no scales to worry about, there isn't a lot of pre-grilling fussing about to be done; the fish should be already gutted by your fishmonger*. The family restaurant ‘Elkano‘ in a fishing village on the Bay of Biscay some 15 miles west of San Sebastian was awarded a Michelin star in 2015. Lobster and turbot A must-order at Elkano is the Donostian delicacy - hake neck. If you are ever in this part of the world Preheat grill to medium-high (400°F to 450°F). Pan Fried Turbot recipe. Grill until cooked through. All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. Crisp yet tender flatbreads stuffed with spiced mashed potatoes. He was recently asked to open a restaurant in one of the Iberostar hotel locations. In an area that has many Michelin-starred establishments Elkano holds its own and its prestige and acclaim are well deserved. 3. Rich, meaty and gelatinous with lightly crusted flesh, the turbot at Elkano is one of the most wonderful seafood experiences on the planet. Ever since I had gotten serious about food, I had wanted to visit the culinary capital of San Sebastián. We were unable to secure last minute reservations at Elkano, a grilled seafood restaurant that’s been made famous by Anthony Bourdain, its I thought I knew something about fish until I met up with Aitor Arregi, who heads the kitchen at Elkano, a seafood restaurant in Getaria on the Cantabrian Sea. The basic principle of grilling whole turbot in the Elkano style is simple. Grilled Turbot (rodaballo parrilla) is another famous seafood/dish served at Elkano and we opted for this for the main course.. Subscribe to Luxeat newsletter to receive exclusive culinary stories and carefully curated restaurant recommendations. “We buy the fish that was caught last,” he explains, and we taste the difference in the kitchen. This handy how to cook turbot guide from Great British Chefs explores various delicious ways of cooking turbot recipes. Located in the small seaside town of Getaria, just under a half-hour from San Sebastian by car, Michelin Starred Elkano looks not unlike many other restaurants throughout the Basque region but gaining substantial acclaim thanks to Grilled fish including the world renowned Turbot there is little doubt that there is something special setting this place apart. This special recipe works just as well with halibut, sole, plaice, or any other flat fish. It's a shame we can't get turbot here. Once you have a good ingredient, says Aitor, the next important thing is not to ruin it! “I could have chosen Barcelona or any city, but what is the point?” Instead, he chose to open Cataria in Cadiz to harvest the bounty of its rich coastal waters. Unlike any However, you can still enjoy a turbot meal at the more informal Txoko, right next door to Kaia Kaipe, now under the supervision of Enrique Fleischmann of the Bailara restaurant in the Hotel Iriate Jaureguia. When you eat their grilled turbot, all of this becomes clear. In the case of Elkano, in Getaria (Guipúzcoa), which is attaining a legendary career of more than 40 years, the turbot stands out for its virtuosity, followed by the collar of hake, the clams and, recently, the hake cheeks and baby squid. His approach to skillfully cooking only fish that are at their best is a gesture of respect to both the creature and to the diner. Throughout all this, the meal that will forever stand out in my memory wasn't in San Sebastián proper, but a few miles up the coast in the fishing village of Getaria, at Elkano. In a paellera (paella pan) for 8 people, heat oil and sauté onion on med heat until golden (about 10 min). Either way, the coals should be at moderate heat—not at their peak intensity—so as not to burn the skin of the turbot. Salt the fish generously with sea salt. “They have this dressing and they spray it on when the fish is grilling,” says Nemanja. Another article said it was the best seafood restaurant in the Western Hemisphere! It serves the freshest possible seafood, fried artichokes when in season, and the legendary and very tasty “bomba”, (deep-fried meatball with mashed potatoes, aïoli and spicy sauce), which they invented more than…, Subscribe to Luxeat Newsletter to receive exclusive culinary stories and carefully curated restaurant recommendations. A whole fish, weighing as little as one kilogram and going up to 2.5 kilograms, is seasoned with salt, placed in a specially designed metal fish basket called a besuguera, and set on the grill close to the coals. Elkano Bourdain ate: Rock prawn (head and body cooked separately—head grilled and body served semi-ceviche), grilled squid with onion-green pepper sauce, cocochas (hake fish jowls or chins), and grilled turbot. Paco Ferreras, Elkano’s fish buyer for more than 40 years, arrived with boxes of mottled turbot, slimy with mucus, a sign of freshness. It’s a very simple recipe. Forego oil (it will cause flare-ups). The family restaurant ‘Elkano‘ in a fishing village on the Bay of Biscay some 15 miles west of San Sebastian was awarded a Michelin star in 2014. The whole Turbot fish is another dish that has put Elkano on the map. Use the best product, and don't get in its way. I need to make sure I try Extebarri next time I go there (and of course, go back to Elkano again for their turbot). Couldn’t get more old school than La Cova Fumada, a humble workers bar in the neighborhood of Barceloneta. The turbot is grilled on its dark-skin side first, for 4 minutes (all timing is based off my conversation and observation with the grill cook at Elkano). Heat some olive oil in a pan and add the fillets flesh side down and fry for two minutes. “Both are family-run and in the Basque Country.” “Both are family-run and in the Basque Country.” There were many contenders for Brat’s signature dish, not least the grilled turbot from which the restaurant takes its name (Brat is an Old English word for turbot). The lobster was a cold dish great to open up our appetites and perfectly pair..... agreed to try the traditional Basque specially “Kokotxas”, or Hake throats. (Photo by Matt Goulding) Elkano is the best fish restaurant in the world—period. And though we aren't restaurant critics, it was some of the freshest and best prepared seafood we've ever tasted. I won't ever cook turbot that perfectly, and that's all right. T.F. The large flatfish is doused in salty water, laced with vinegar and jamon, inside and out as it cooks over the coals. ...Grill Turbot a la Elkano. The restaurant is known for their seafood, and in particular their grilled Turbot. The technique that goes into cooking fish this well over charcoal is humbling. Aitor is a master of la parilla, or the traditional grills that stand outside restaurants in Getaria. Herrerieta Kalea, 2, 20808 Getaria, Gipuzkoa, Spain. 16 reviews of Elkano "We were staying in an airbnb in Getaria and checked out the town on the web. The seafood in Getaria, especially grilled turbot, is another must-get in this region. They take the most beautiful fish, cook it simply, but with such care. Finally, it is important to know when the fish was caught. “My favourite restaurants in the world are Elkano and Ibai,” he says. But after standing, watching, and chatting in broken Castilian Spanish (my Italian is of no use when it comes to Basque) with the cooks working that sidewalk grill, I have a slight idea of how to not ruin it. grilling fish at Elkano All courses were accompanied by Txakoli Txomin Etxaniz 2014, same vintage as we had at the winery, but much richer in color, aroma and taste. In Getaria, there isn't a place similar in elegant style to Kaia Kaipe or its more "famous" cousin Elkano (2 Repol suns, 1 Michelin star). Every morning, a huge bed of charcoal is lit under the adjustable grates of the grill, so that by lunchtime it's hot and ready for the seafood. Turbot is a large, sandy-coloured flatfish that, alongside Dover sole, lemon sole, halibut, plaice and brill, is one of the most readily consumed flatfish in the UK. Post whatever you want, just keep it seriously about eats, seriously. Elkano doesn’t have any Michelin stars, but you will struggle to find turbot of this quality even in multi-starred restaurants. That fish will not be as fresh as one caught at 8am and brought to shore an hour or two later. And it has to be, because that is the ethos of the restaurant, put in place by its founding chef, Pedro Arregui: "Buy well and don't ruin it." It came out as a whole fish at first, presented to us for our inspection and admiration. Reserve the bones to make fish stock. Outside the main door are open air charcoal grills where turbot and other fish are prepared. “Both are family-run and in the Basque Country.” There were many contenders for Brat’s signature dish, not least the grilled turbot from which the restaurant takes its name (Brat is an Old English word for turbot). It also happens to be an asador. The grilled turbot is something you shouldn’t miss or the lobster and believe it or not we had steak, surf and turf. Had to go. This gelatin is trapped under the skin during cooking, causing the skin to blister and puff up in spots, while keeping the flesh succulent and rich. They have been incorporating new delicacies to the grill. Located in Getaria, a small Basque fishing village, the speciality of this one Michelin-starred restaurant is Rodaballo (Turbot), simply grilled over burning charcoal with a generous sprinkle of salt and a secret sauce that coaxs the gelatin from the fish. Rich, meaty and gelatinous with lightly crusted flesh, the turbot at Elkano is one of the most wonderful seafood experiences on the planet. We were unable to secure last minute reservations at Elkano, a grilled seafood restaurant that’s been made famous by Anthony Bourdain, its Michelin star, and number 30 spot on … turbot from restaurant elkano, gipuzkoa, spain ‘This is one of my favourite restaurants in the world , and I’ll always order the wood-roasted turbot. He also loves a good (or bad, depending on who you ask) food pun. This recipe for grilled halibut was inspired by a meal Top Chef judge and F&W Special Projects Editor Gail Simmons ate on the Bay of Biscay in Spain. Comments can take a minute to appear—please be patient! Baked Turbot Fish When we traveled to basque country in northern Spain a stop at Restaurante Elkano was high up on our list. Elkano in Spain has been serving exceptional fish since 1964. As with the previous flip, the white side now gets a heavy dose of vinaigrette, before the turbot is taken off the grill and transferred to a serving platter. 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