BE A BETTER COOK
delicious.
(^) KITCHEN
By CJ Jackson, CEO of The Seafood School at
Billingsgate and Seafish UK ambassador
April can be a tricky time for buying fish as
many species are producing roe, which can
leave them skinny and in poor condition.
Farmed fish are a good option now, as is...
1
FISH ROE
Female fish produce roe
(eggs) and males produce milt
(to fertilise the eggs). Herring
milt (soft roe) and eggs (hard
roe) is a delicacy. In spring
some roe is available fresh:
cod, coley, ling and haddock are
harvested commercially. Cold-
smoked cod roe is available
year round and is used to make
taramasalata. Other roe from
Pacific salmon (keta), trout,
capelin and lumpfish are sold
lightly salted in jars and add
colour and texture to dishes.
Caviar is the most exclusive
roe. It once came from wild
sturgeon caught in Iran and
Russia but it’s now mainly
farmed in Europe. Caviar is
pricey but it takes up to 20 years
for the fish to grow to maturity.
Arënkha (formerly Avruga) is
a caviar substitute made from
MSC-certified smoked herring.
Great ways to cook Fresh roe
can be wrapped in baking paper
and poached until firm. Slice it
when cold, coat in egg and
breadcrumbs, then deep-fry –
fish and chip shops often sell it.
2
POLLOCK
Atlantic pollock (or lythe) is
sold as an alternative to cod
(they’re closely related), but
availability is sporadic and only
sm ll quantities are landed,
which means it can be pricey.
Pollock has an olive green
back, silver belly and a fine
puckered lateral line. Its flesh
is similar in texture to coley –
translucent with tightly knitted
flakes, turning sweet and white
when cooked.
Great ways to cook Steam with
ginger, spring onion, chilli and
soy sauce, or roast with lemon
and serve with tartare sauce.
3
SCALLOPS
King scallops are one of
two scallop species that are
wild-harvested and farmed
around the UK coastline. In the
wild, they’re caught either by
dredging (which has a high
environmental impact) or
hand-diving, which is the
preferable method. In the UK
you can buy scallops in or out
of the shell, fresh or frozen.
The guts are discarded, leaving
a sweet white muscle and the
orange roe. Ask for dry scallops,
which haven’t been soaked in
water and are sweeter.
Great ways to cook Season
and pan-fry the whole scallop.
Thirty seconds on each side in
a hot pan should colour the
exterior and leave the middle
juicy and tender. The roe can be
dehydrated in a very low oven,
powdered and used to flavour
fish soups and risottos.
CREAM&TARRAGONMixthejuiceof1lemonwith
½ tsp caster sugar. Whisk in 3 tbsp extra-virgin
olive oil, then 4 tbsp double cream. Stir in 2 tbsp
each finely chopped shallots and chives and
some chopped fresh tarragon, then season.
Great with... a simple lettuce salad
ANCHOVY Mash 6 salted anchovy fillets with
1 garlic clove. Whisk in 1 egg yolk, 1 tsp dijon
mustard and some black pepper. Whisk in
200ml light olive oil, drop by drop at first, then in
a thin stream to make mayonnaise. Mix in 2 tbsp
lemon juice plus the zest of ¼ lemon, a pinch of
chilli flakes and 25g grated parmesan. Thin with
water to pouring cream consistency.
Great with... lettuce and croutons, bitter leaves or
for dunking any vegetable.
GINGER & SOY Mix 1 crushed garlic clove and
2 tsp grated ginger. Stir in 1 tbsp clear honey and
25ml rice vinegar, then slowly whisk in 4 tbsp
olive oil, 2 tbsp soy sauce and 1½ tbsp water.
Great with... salads and veg, both
raw and cooked – it’s particularly
good with cabbage.
LAYERchocolate mousse in a
potwithcaramelsauce.(Finda
chocolate mousse recipe at deliciousmagazine.co.uk.)
SWIRLinto a chocolate brownie batter.
SPOONovericecream,pancakesorwaffles.
BROWNappleslicesinafryingpanwithbutter,then add
caramel sauce and simmer until soft. Serve with
cream or ice cream.
SPREADoverthebottomofalinedcaketin,addapples,
pearsorotherfruitandcoverwithvictoriasponge
batter before baking as a caramel upside-down cake.
mall quan sh so
5 WAYS TO
USE UP
LEFTOVER
CA R A MEL
SAUCE
3 EASY DRESSINGS
FOR SPRING SALADS