Chef Guido Braeken prepares TURBOT & MORELS at 2 Michelin star restaurant CREATE (The Netherlands)

At CREATE, his two-star establishment in Maastricht, Executive Chef Guido Braeken demonstrates a masterful command of classic French foundations modernised for contemporary dining. This preparation brings together turbot, slow-cooked veal cheek, and earthy morels, finished with a precise beurre rouge. For professional kitchens, the dish serves as a masterclass in balancing intense, collagen-rich meat components with delicate coastal flatfish.

Executive Composition: Land Meets Sea

The pairing of prime flatfish with braised meats is a classic French device that requires careful calibration. Turbot, with its firm, meaty flake and clean flavour profile, provides the central structure of the plate. Braeken pairs this with tender veal cheek, introducing a deep, sticky umami element that contrasts beautifully with the clean proteins of the fish.

The bridge between these two disparate elements is the morel. Highly prized for its porous, honeycomb texture, the morel acts as a natural sponge on the plate, soaking up both the pan juices from the turbot and the rich reduction of the veal cheek. When constructing this dish, chefs must ensure the veal cheek is braised to complete tenderness, allowing its gelatinous texture to melt into the firm bite of the fish without requiring excessive knife pressure from the diner.

Precision Saucing with Beurre Rouge

While white fish is traditionally paired with a classic beurre blanc, Braeken opts for a beurre rouge. This red wine emulsion brings essential acidity, dark fruit notes, and a subtle tannic structure to the plate, cutting through the rich fat of both the butter and the veal cheek.

The main pitfall in this preparation lies in the emulsion stability. The reduction must be strained thoroughly to remove all shallot solids before mounting with cold, cubed butter off the heat. Maintaining a service-ready holding temperature between 45°C and 55°C is critical; anything higher will break the emulsion, while lower temperatures will cause the butter to solidify, muddying the presentation.

Plating and Service Logistics

To execute this dish successfully during a busy service, mise en placeMise en Place(French) "Everything in its place." The foundational setup of prepped ingredients and tools before service begins. must be meticulous. The veal cheeks are braised ahead, portioned, and glazed to order in their own reduction. The morels must be thoroughly washed to remove grit from their hollow interiors, then sautéed gently to maintain their shape. The turbot is cooked gently to preserve its moisture, requiring careful heat control to avoid drying out the delicate flakes.