Category: fish

Posted on

Fish on Noodles

In December 2009 I went to a conference in Auckland in New Zealand. After the conference I went out for a meal with some friends.

I like to think I am adventurous when I come to eating out, but more usually than not I will go for something that sounds familiar, or I like. Fish is a prime example where I will go for squid, but unlikely to go for a fish dish. Not that I don’t like fish, on the contrary, but I do find I might choose something else…

However this time….

I ordered a grilled piece of fish on noodles (I forgot to note what fish).

It was very nice and I was glad I ordered it.

I try now when eating out, order things I might not usually order…

Posted on

Grilled Trio

In December 2009 I went to a conference in Auckland in New Zealand. I had passed the Harbourside Ocean Bar Grill numerous times on my first few days and really liked the look of the menu. However too often I was eating with friends, or at the conference. I decided on what was my last night in Auckland that I would go and eat there.

Having had a delicious starter of scallops I went for the Grilled Trio for my main course. This was a really interesting dish comprising a trio of grilled fish.

It was like having three separare main courses, which was the reason I chose  it as it was difficult to make one choice from the menu.

The three fish were from left to right.

Kingfish, with lemon potato, chorizo and a chermoula butter sauce.

Salmon with spice avocado and salmorejo sauce.

Hapuku served with hummus, pomegranate syrup and crisp onions.

This was a really excellent dish, full of flavour and just the kind of thing I like from a restaurant meal, creativity, flavour and textures.

Posted on

Northland Scallops

In December 2009 I went to a conference in Auckland in New Zealand. I had passed the Harbourside Ocean Bar Grill numerous times on my first few days and really liked the look of the menu. However too often I was eating with friends, or at the conference. I decided on what was my last night in Auckland that I would go and eat there.

For my starter I went with the Northland Scallops.

Grilled scallops with a pineapple salsa, skordalia and beurre blanc.

Beautifully cooked and presented scallops. Nice accompaniments. Delicious.

Posted on

Beignets de Cabillaud

Earlier this week I mentioned the starter I had had at Café Rouge. It was part of the fixed price menu, for my mains I had Beignets de Cabillaud, which is deep fried cod goujons served with French Fries and remoulade sauce.

So it’s fish and chips!

I did enjoy this dish, I liked the fries, the batter was cripsy, the fish had flavour, the sauce was tasty.

I think I should have ordered a salad to go with it, but if the rocket leaves were anything to go by on the starter than maybe it was a good idea I didn’t.

This dish almost made up for the disappointment of the starter.

Posted on

Lemon Sole with Shallot and Tarragon Butter

Had another one of those dishes from Marks and Spencers’ The Cook Menu range: Atlantic Lemon Sole fillets with Shallot and Tarragon butter and Cherry tomatoes.

A simple dish, pan fry the fish for a few minutes with the tomatoes and then add the butter. Serve.

I served mine with some salad and steamed asparagus.

It was simple to cook and importantly very quick. Yes this is a dish you could throw together yourself from raw ingredients, but unless you have all the ingredients can result in either an expensive dish or one missing that vital piece of the jigsaw.

I am not a fan of precooked cook chill products you bung in the microwave, however this range from Marks and Spencers (and other supermarkets like Waitrose and Tesco are now doing them too) are quick and easy, but also give you ideas and inspirsation for when you do have the time. They are also just the ingredients and are raw products that need cooking.

Posted on

Lemon Sole with Shallot and Tarragon Butter

Had another one of those dishes from Marks and Spencers’ The Cook Menu range: Atlantic Lemon Sole fillets with Shallot and Tarragon butter and Cherry tomatoes.

A simple dish, pan fry the fish for a few minutes with the tomatoes and then add the butter. Serve.

I served mine with some fresh pasta and steamed vegetables.

It was simple to cook and importantly very quick. Yes this is a dish you could throw together yourself from raw ingredients, but unless you have all the ingredients can result in either an expensive dish or one missing that vital piece of the jigsaw.

I am not a fan of precooked cook chill products you bung in the microwave, however this range from Marks and Spencers (and other supermarkets like Waitrose and Tesco are now doing them too) are quick and easy, but also give you ideas and inspirsation for when you do have the time. They are also just the ingredients and are raw products that need cooking.

Posted on

Resting on your laurels…

Aldeburgh Fish and Chips

If you read a comment like:

I still can’t visit the place without going to The Aldeburgh Fish and Chip shop. Best chippy in East Anglia, I reckon…

Then in my opinion having eaten recently fish and chips from the Aldeburgh Fish and Chip Shop, I hate to think how awful fish and chips is in the rest of East Anglia!

Now let me put this post in context. Lots of people rave about the fish and chips from the Aldeburgh Fish and Chip Shop.

The Observer named it their number one fish and chip shop.

Scene of the longest queues since the petrol crisis, this is rightly regarded as one of the UK’s premier chippies. Eulogised by the likes the of Rick Stein and OFM’s own Nigel Slater, its popularity is such that, come the summer, this small Suffolk fishing town resembles Rourke’s Drift, as thousands of salivating punters appear on the horizon and stampede their way to its door. But with cod and chips from just £2, and the not inconsiderable benefit of having the wonderful White Hart pub on hand while you wait, it’s not difficult to see why the Fish and Chip Shop commands such respect among fish fans. And the secret of their success? ‘I never add flour to my batter,’ insists owner Margaret Thompson, who’s been frying fish for over 30 years. ‘I fry in pure vegetable oil, never in beef dripping. I think vegetable oil lets the flavour of the fresh fish shine through.’

Number one in the UK…

Well that top ten was done back in 2002…

I use to use the fish and chip shop a lot twenty five odd years ago, so this was the first visit back in a long long time.

Well was I really disappointed.

These are suppose to be the best fish and chips in the country.

Well sorry that may have been the best, but the portion of cod and chips I had on a Saturday night were terrible and very poor.

Let’s start with the chips which really weren’t too bad, crisp, good size, however the oil they had been cooked in was either very old or rancid. Despite the quote from the Observer, they did taste like they were cooked in rancid beef dripping.

As for the fish, sorry if I want battered cod I expect the fish to be boneless and skinless. I know it’s fish, I don’t need the bones and skin to prove it’s a real fish. If I want that experience I’ll pop down to the proper fish stalls on the other end of the beach.

The reason you batter the fish is to protect the fish from the oil, so when coating in batter, ensure that the whole fish is coated. Mine wasn’t so as a result the fish was very greasy (and remember this was the rancid flavoured oil the chips were cooked in).

I was very disappointed, nothing like the reviews and a very bad experience. Next time must do better, but I doubt there will be a next time.

Finally when asked and I ask for no salt, I prefer not to have salt.

Posted on

Fish Supper

One thing that I cook quite often and enjoy during the summer months (though not that we have had much of a summer) is a fish supper.

Fish Supper

This photo is from a recent version and included baked cod, griddled scallops, griddled squid and prawns cooked in olive oil.

The cod was drizzled with olive oil and baked in the oven for ten to fifteen minutes.

The scallops were scored with a checked pattern on one side and griddled on a hot pan.

The squid “pockets” were sliced on one side and opened out. On the inside I scored a checked pattern. These were then griddled inside face down. When cooked on one side, turn them over and cook the outside; at this point they will curl into rolls. Serve with the tentacles cooked as well.

The prawns were simply cooked with a little olive oil and black pepper.

Served with lemon wedges, salad and crusty bread.

Delicious.

Posted on

Book Choice – The River Cottage Fish Book

My book choice this week is Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s excellent River Cottage fish book.

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s excellent River Cottage fish book

The Spectator said:

Simply the best and most comprehensive work on the subject I have read… a well-illustrated compendium to British fish, it is a great reference book and a good read.

It’s the book which accompanies the television series.

Certainly if you are looking for a fish book which covers some non-traditional more sustainable fish then this is the book for you.

Buy the book from Amazon.

Posted on

Smoked Pollack Chowder

It’s Friday, time for fish, and for the fifth time this week the Guardian has published another excellent recipe from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.

The smoked pollack chowder sounds delicious.