Common name: Turbot, Breet, Britt, Butt

Japanese name: Ishibirame (石平目)

Korean common name: 대문짝넙치

Scientific name: Scophthalmus maximus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Nigiri sushi detail: Turbot (Ishibirame) Nigiri sushi

Characteristics:

Turbot (Ishibirame) is distributed in the Mediterranean Sea, Baltic Sea, Black Sea, North Atlantic, etc. It inhabits a variety of substrates, including sandy and rocky bottoms at depths shallower than 70 meters. Its body is wide and thick, just like a Japanese cushion. It does not have scales on the surface but instead has numerous bony protrusions. It has four fins on its upper side.

The flesh is thick, firm, and extremely tasty. The flesh is bright white and does not change color when cooked. It is eaten grilled, boiled, or fried. It is counted as one of the finest fish in Europe and its status is comparable to that of the Japanese Hirame.

Around 2000, aquaculture began in China, with rapid growth centered in Shandong Province, and today its production far exceeds that of Europe. It is now farmed in large quantities in South Korea and other countries.