Ina Garten's Favorite Fish To Buy While In Paris

While Olympians compete for gold and glory in Paris, Ina Garten is winning our hearts with her terrific insight on Parisian cuisine. Garten is serving as a special contributor for NBC's Olympic Coverage, and while there, she's sharing the items she loves to get in the City of Lights — including her favorite fish: turbot

Though globalization allows you to get foods from around the world delivered right to your doorstep, there's nothing like sourcing ingredients in their place of origin. In a video for "The Today Show," the Barefoot Contessa took viewers around Paris to shop for items she loves to get while in the French capital. On the list was the Paris cheese shop Ina Garten calls her favorite worldwide, as well as a chic patisserie and a floral shop. First on the list, however, was the fish market where she picked up some turbot.

The variety, which is sought-after in Europe and other parts of the world, can be found on the sandy shores of the Mediterranean, North Sea, and Black Sea. Though it's more common in Europe, the flatfish also occupies the waters of the Canadian Arctic. Turbot is mild and somewhat buttery. It's likened to halibut but with a more pungent fish taste. Its tenderness, richness, and rareness make turbot an expensive fish. However, farmed turbot is a little more accessible, so try to get your hands on the Garten-approved fish when you can.

To really appreciate turbot's flavor, you can season it simply or with contrasting ingredients that bring out its natural depth. In Garten's video with "The Today Show," she mentioned using the turbot to make mustard-roasted fish, a reference to an earlier recipe of hers. She opted for red snapper filets in the original Mustard-Roasted Fish recipe, but the punchy ingredients translate well to turbot.

Garten relies on two popular types of mustard for the sauce: Dijon and whole grain. The mustards are mixed with crème fraîche as well as minced shallots, salt, black pepper, and capers to round things out with a vinegary bite. Her list of ingredients is simple yet impactful, just like turbot. While the Barefoot Contessa roasted her fish, our poached turbot with pickled chanterelles recipe embraces its flavor in a different way.

There's still an acidic presence thanks to the apple cider vinegar that the chanterelles are pickled in; however, the dish is mostly earthy. The turbot is poached in a broth made with morel and cremini mushrooms, gently infusing the dish with a nutty flavor. It's then topped off with pickled chanterelle mushrooms for an earthy, fruit-forward bite that brings out the sweetness of turbot.