Issue 6 Cooking the Catch from the Archives of the Tanked Up Magazine

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22 December 2024

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	ISSUE 6 ARCHIVE - COOKING THE CATCH Andrew Maxwell Langoustine Skewers with Chilli Garlic Dressing, Rocket and Mange Tout Salad With the credit crunch getting crunchier by the day, and the world generally self destructing around us, I have decreed that the best thing for us all to do, is to go diving. In fact, this is quite a sensible suggestion. The reason for this is that (as I have emphasised so much in previous editions of "Cooking the Catch") the cheapest and often most flavoursome and wholesome way of living is to source produce locally and seasonally. This means that there is absolutely no need to go to your local supermarket and buy fish. Get yourselves out to Wraysbury, dig up some of the local crayfish and mussels, and bon appetite. (Ok perhaps not Wraysbury then, but you get the gist).
There have been numerous articles in the press since my last feature about the environmental impacts of humans on the oceans – how the salmon farming industry is affecting the UK seal population (see www.sealaction.org for more of the gory details). And I am sure you have all seen the story about Sammy the Whale Shark who was captured by (sorry no, strayed into the waters off the coast of) a large aqua park in Dubai. I am not going to get on my soap box this time. I think we all know the story so no need to rant on about it. Instead, I have been doing a bit of research and would like to offer you a bit of useful information about what fish is good to buy and when. With the help of various trade publications I have been able to put together the following reference chart for you.
The Best Options (From sustainable stocks) Brown crab Pot caught from south Devon or Scotland are the best options Best Eaten: July – March Langoustine West coast of Scotland, or any MSC Certified fishery. Avoid Spanish and Portuguese Best Eaten: July – February Mussels Rope grown or hand gathered only Best Eaten: October – March The Next Best (From sustainable stocks) Cockles MSC Certified or hand gathered. Do not use dredge-caught Best Eaten: October – March Gurnard (Red and Grey) Any UK waters Best Eaten: Sept – March (Grey), October – May (Red) Pollack Otter trawl and hand line Best Eaten: March – December Sardines Cornish are the best Best Eaten: September – February Sea Bass Line caught. Avoid pelagic trawled Best Eaten: July – February Spider Crab Pot caught from any UK waters Best Eaten: August – March Squid Jig caught. Never buy trawl caught! Best Eaten: All year
Buy Occasionally (Fish in danger of becoming unsustainable owing to environmental management or stock issues) Haddock North Sea or NE Arctic. Avoid from Faroes and west Scotland Best Eaten: March – February Lemon Sole Otter trawl caught only Best Eaten: September – March Lobster European and Canadian pot caught only Best Eaten: October – July Mackerel MSC Certified handline fisheries in SW England and drift net in Hastings. Avoid large pelagic trawled Best Eaten: All year Monkfish SW England. Avoid northern UK and NW Spain and Portugal Best Eaten: All year Plaice Otter trawled from Irish Sea or gill/seine net from North Sea. Avoid West English Channel, Celtic sea, SW Ireland and West Ireland Best Eaten: April – December Dover Sole Use nothing other than MSC Certified from Hastings fleet trammel net fishery, within East English Channel Best Eaten: July – March
Buy Less Occasionally (Fish in danger of becoming unsustainable owing to environmental management or stock issues) Atlantic Cod Wild caught from NE Arctic, Iceland, west English Channel, Bristol Channel, SE Ireland and Sole. Avoid wild caught from all other areas Best Eaten: March – January Ling Handline from Faroes. Avoid all other Best Eaten: All year Avoid (Fish from unsustainable, overfished, vulnerable and/or badly managed stocks or with high levels of 'by-catch.') Herring Avoid from South Clyde, West Ireland and Great Sole fisheries. Buy from Norwegian stocks Best Eaten: All year Turbot Wild caught only Best Eaten: All year
On to Cooking The Catch: Langoustine Skewers with Chilli Garlic Dressing, Rocket and Mange Tout Salad Ingredients To make 6 skewers: 24 uncooked Langoustines, shelled 3 thick slices wholemeal bread, crusts removed 80ml extra virgin olive oil 2 cloves garlic, crushed 7g flat leaf parsley, finely chopped finely grated zest 1 lemon 1tsp sea salt black pepper lemon wedges For the chilli garlic dressing: 2 chillies, finely chopped 3 cloves garlic, chopped 2 tbsp palm sugar 1 tbsp rice vinegar 3 tbsp lime or lemon juice 3 tbsp Thai fish sauce For the rocket and mange tout salad: 1 bag rocket sesame oil 100g (4oz) mange tout, blanched Method: Soak 6 wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes. (This will help to prevent them from burning when you cook them). Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 6, 200ºC.
Place the bread on a baking sheet in the oven for 10–15 minutes until lightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. When cold place in a food processor and blend into breadcrumbs. Place the olive oil and langoustines in a bowl and toss together. Add all the remaining ingredients (including the breadcrumbs) and mix well so that each one is coated in crumbs. Cover and chill for 30 minutes. Pre heat the grill. Thread and curl 4 langoustines onto each skewer so they are a neat round shape. Place on a baking sheet and cook for 2 minutes each side or until golden brown. To make the chilli sauce, place all ingredients in a bowl and whisk well to mix. Toss the rocket and mange tout in a little sesame oil to give it a shine. Arrange on individual serving plates with 2 langoustine skewers. Serve the chilli dressing separately.
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