Ingredients

• 75g/2½oz butter
• diced
• 500g/1lb 2oz turnips
• peeled and grated
• then squeezed in a clean tea towel
• juice reserved
• 2 tsp caster sugar
• 8g/¼oz salt
• large pinch finely crushed black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp thyme leaves
• 900ml/1½pt milk
• 300g/10½oz turnips
• peeled and chopped into 1cm/¼in pieces
• 200ml/7fl oz double cream
• 2 tsp salt
• 20g/¾oz caster sugar
• 200ml/7fl oz fresh turnip juice (reserved from the confit turnips)
• 50g/1¾oz creamed horseradish sauce
• 20g/¾oz butter
• 75g/2½oz shallot
• finely chopped
• 1 tsp thyme leaves
• 1 bay leaf
• 150g/5½oz chopped confit chestnuts
• 25ml/1fl oz white wine vinegar
• 150ml/5fl oz Madeira
• 300ml/10fl oz chicken stock
• 100ml/3½fl oz double cream
• 2 tsp caster sugar
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 200g/7oz John Dory fillets
• skin-on
• pin-boned
• olive oil
• for drizzling
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 chestnuts
• tops crossed
• 25g/1oz butter
• 1 medium-sized turnip
• peeled
• sliced and cut into rounds
• 2 baby turnips
• peeled and finely sliced on a mandolin
• turnip oil or olive oil for drizzling

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
• To make the confit turnips
• place a large shallow pan on a medium heat. Add the butter
• and once melted
• add the rest of the ingredients. Cook over a low heat for about an hour
• or until the turnip starts to caramelise and the liquid has evaporated.
• Turn up the heat and cook for a further 10 minutes or until the turnip is golden-brown. Drain the turnip in a colander and set aside.
• To make the turnip milk sauce
• place the milk
• turnip
• cream
• salt and sugar in a saucepan and cook slowly over a low heat until the turnip is tender. Add the turnip juice and horseradish and blitz in a blender. Pass through a sieve twice and keep warm in the saucepan.
• Roast the whole chestnuts in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove and peel when cool enough to handle. Slice very thinly using a mandolin and set aside for garnishing.
• Meanwhile
• to make the chestnut sauce
• heat the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the shallots
• thyme and bay leaf
• season with salt and pepper and cook for 3 minutes. Add the chestnuts and cook for a minute
• add the vinegar and reduce untill almost dry
• then add the Madeira. Reduce by a third then add the stock and cream. Simmer for 5–8 minutes then blend
• pass through a fine sieve and place in the fridge.
• To cook the John Dory
• heat a little olive oil in a large frying pan. Season the fillets with salt and pepper and fry skin-side down for 3 minutes
• then turn and cook for 2 minutes on the other side. Rest for 2 minutes and remove the skins before serving.
• To serve
• heat the butter and 100ml/3½fl oz water in a small frying pan and once hot cook the rounds of turnip for 2 minutes
• until just softened.
• Place a spoonful of confit turnip on each plate and place the cooked fish on top. Spoon the turnip milk sauce over the top and garnish with the turnip rounds
• a few slices of raw turnip dressed in turnip oil
• the shaved roasted chestnuts and a dollop of chestnut sauce.