Hugh Fish Fight App Recipes

8/3/2019 Hugh Fish Fight App Recipes

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HUGH’SFISH FIGHTAPP

RECIPES*ALL OF THESE RECIPES ARE FROM

RIVER COTTAGE EVERY DAY OR

THE RIVER COTTAGE FISH BOOK

*All Hugh’s recipes and images within have been provided with permission

by Bloomsbury Publishing



INDEX

3

PALOURDES WITH CHANTERELLES

COCKLE CHOWDER

SPAGHETTI WITH COCKLES

COLEY IN BEER BATTER

CRAB CAKES WITH HERBY MAYONNAISE

SPIDER CRAB LINGUINE

GRILLED DAB WITH LEMON

ROASTED FLOUNDER WITH CHERRY TOMATOES

POT-ROASTED GURNARD

ROAST GURNARD FILLETS WITH ROAST POTATOES

HOT-SMOKED MACKEREL PATE

JAPANESE SLOW-COOKED MACKEREL

QUICK FRIED MACKEREL WITH GARLIC AND BAY

HUGH’S MACKEREL SASHIMI

CURRIED MUSSELSMUSSEL, SPINACH AND BACON GRATIN

HANGTOWN FRY OYSTERS

LEEK, CELERIAC AND OYSTER BROTH

SMOKED POLLACK AND SPINACH TART

STEAM-BRAISED POLLACK WITH THYME AND LEMON

SMOKED POLLACK CHOWDER

POLLACK THAI FISH CURRYPOUTING AND CHORIZO SOUP

BREADCRUMBED FILLETS OF POUTING WITH TARTARE SAUCE

RED MULLET, WOODCOCK STYLE

SARDINE ESCABECHE

SARDINE NICOISE LUNCHBOX

SQUID AND TOMATO RISOTTO

BAISED SQUID STUFFED WITH CHORIZO AND RICE

BREADED WHITING AND/OR POUTING

PAGE RECIPE

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SERVES 1-2

INGREDIENTS

• A good handful of fresh chanterelle mushrooms

• 2 knobs of butter

• 1 garlic clove, chopped

• 2 tablespoons white wine

• 2 dozen palourde clams (purged of grit, ifnecessary, by being immersed in a bucket of

clean salt water for several hours, with the oc-

casional stir)

• Alittlenelychoppedparsley• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD

1. Prepare the chanterelles, trimming off the

stalk bases and giving the mushrooms a gentle

brushing to remove any dirt or soil. If they are

really big, cut them in half.

2. Put a knob of butter and the garlic in a widepan over a medium heat. When the butter has

sizzled for a minute, add the wine.

3. When the wine is bubbling, add the palourdes

and cover the pan. Let them steam for 2-3 min-

utes, until the shells are open (discard any that

stay shut).

4. Remove the palourdes from the pan and pick

them out of their shells, making sure you

collect any juices from the shells as you go.

5. Return the clams to the winey juices in the pan,place back on the heat and boil until the liquid

has reduced to about a tablespoon.

6. Place a frying pan over a medium heat, add a

knob of butter and allow it to bubble. Throw in

the chanterelles. Saute gently for 2-3 minutes,

until they soften, then add the palourdes and

toss them with the mushrooms.

7. Add the clam liquor and season with pepper –

and salt, if necessary, though it may well not

be. Serve straight away on a warmed plate/

plates, scattered with parsley, with bread and

butter.

PALOURDES WITH CHANTERELLES

CLAMS RECIPE

4



SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon rapeseed or olive oil


• 150g smoked bacon or pancetta, cut into small

cubes or lardons

• 1 large leek, white part only, quartered length-ways and thinly sliced

• 1 onion, chopped

• 2smallgarliccloves,nelychopped• 1 large, waxy potato, such as Cara, peeled and

cut into 5mm cubes

• 750mlshorshellshstock• 1kg cockles (purged of grit, if necessary, by be-

ing immersed in a bucket of clean salt water for

several hours, with the occasional stir)

• A glass of white wine• 50ml double cream

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD

1. Heat a heavy-based pan over a medium heat

and add the oil and a knob of butter. When the

butter is foaming, add the bacon and sauté until

it starts to release some of its fat.

2. Add the leek, onion and garlic, then cover andsweat gently for around 5 minutes, without let-

ting the vegetables colour.

3. Add the potato and sweat for 5 minutes more,

then pour in the stock and bring to a gentle

simmer. Cook, covered, for about 10 minutes,

until the potato is soft but not disintegrating.

4. Meanwhile, scrub the cockles under cold water,

discarding any that are damaged or open.

5. Put a large, wide pan over a high heat and add

the wine, a glass of water and a knob of butter.Bring to the boil.

6. Add the cockles to the boiling, winey liquid.

Cover at once with the lid, stir after a minute or

so and cover again. Cook for 2-4 minutes, until

the cockles are open (discard any that remain

rmlyclosed).7. Tip the contents of the pan into a colander, set

over a bowl to catch the juices. Set aside a

few cockles and pick the remainder from their

shells.

8. Strainthecocklejuicesthroughanesieve,or a coarse sieve lined with a cotton cloth, and

add to the chowder, along with the shelled

cockles.

9. Stir in the cream, season to taste and reheat

gently if necessary. Serve piping hot, garnished

with the shell-on cockles and accompanied by

some bread.

COCKLE CHOWDER

COCKELS RECIPE

5



SERVES 2

INGREDIENTS

• 4 tablespoons good olive oil


• 500g cockles, scrubbed (purged of grit, if

necessary, by being immersed in a bucket of

clean salt water for several hours, with the oc-casional stir)

• 2 garlic cloves, sliced into paper-thin slivers

• 400g tin plum tomatoes, chopped, or 500g fresh

tomatoes, skinned and chopped

• A pinch of sugar

• 1 bay leaf

• 200g spaghetti or linguine

• 2 knobs of butter and a trickle of olive oil

• 1tablespoonchoppedatleafparsley


METHOD

1. Set a large saucepan over a medium heat and

add 1 tablespoon oil and the wine.

2. Add the cockles, cover the pan and give it a

shake. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until all the cock-

les are open (discard any that won’t open).3. Tip the contents of the pan into a colander set

over a bowl to catch the juices. Strain the juices

throughanesieve,orthroughacottoncloth,to get rid of any grit or shell fragments.

4. Pick two-thirds of the cockles from their shells,

then set all the cockles, shell-on and off, aside.

5. Heat the remaining olive oil in a large frying

pan, add the garlic and fry until just beginning

to colour.

6. Quickly add the tomatoes to the frying pan, fol-lowed by the cockle cooking liquid, the sugar,

bay leaf and some salt and pepper. Cook over a

gentle heat, stirring from time to time, for 25-30

minutes, until thick.

7. When the sauce is nearly done, bring a large

pan of water to the boil. Salt it generously, then

add the spaghetti or linguine and cook until al

dente.

8. Add all the cockles to the tomato sauce with a

small knob of butter and the parsley, if using,

and toss over a medium heat for a minute, until

piping hot.

9. Drain the pasta and toss with the second knob

of butter and a trickle of oil. Divide between

two warmed dishes and ladle the cockle and

tomato sauce over the top. Serve straight away

(without parmesan!)

SPAGHETTI WITH COCKLES

COCKELS RECIPE

6



COLEY IN BEER BATTER

SERVES 4-6

INGREDIENTS

• 200gplainour

• Sunoweroil,includingplentyfordeepfrying

• About 250ml beer

• 4-6good-sizedlletsofcoley


METHOD

1. Sifttheourintoabowl.Add2tbspsunoweroil then gradually whisk in the beer. Stop when

the batter is the consistency of thick emulsion

paint. Beat well, season generously and leave

for 30 minutes.2. Heat the oil in a large, deep, heavy-based pan

untilitreaches160˚C,oruntilacubeofbread

dropped in turns golden brown in 1½-2 min-

utes.

3. Dipapieceofshintothebattersoitisthor-

oughly immersed then hold it over the bowl for

a few seconds so excess batter drips off.

4. Lowertheshintothehotoil.Fryonepieceat

a time, for 4-5 minutes each, until golden and

crisp.5. Scoopouttheshwithawirebasketor‘spi-

der’ and transfer to a warmed dish lined with

kitchen paper. Keep them warm while you cook

the rest, then serve straight away with ketchup

or tartare sauce.

7

COLEY RECIPE



SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

• 20g butter

• 2shallots,nelychopped• 2tablespoonsverynelychoppedcelery• 1 egg yolk

• 1 tablespoon soured cream• ½ teaspoon English mustard powder

• ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 1tablespoonnelychoppedchives• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

• ¾ teaspoon salt

• 120g fresh white breadcrumbs

• 250g-300g spider crab meat, picked over

• Clariedbutterorsunoweroilforfrying

• Lemon wedges, to serve• Freshly ground black pepper

• 4 tablespoons good mayonnaise

• 2 tablespoons soured cream

• Lemon juice

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 1tablespoonnelychoppedchives

METHOD

1. To make the mayonnaise, mix all the ingre-

dients together. Cover and refrigerate until

needed.

2. Melt 20g butter in a small frying pan over a

low heat, add the shallots and celery and sautégently until softened, about 8 minutes. Leave to

cool.

3. Put the egg yolk, soured cream, mustard pow-

der, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne, chives,

lemon zest, salt and some pepper in a large

bowl and whisk together. Stir in the shallots,

celery and 2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs, then

the crab meat.

4. Form the mix into 4 cakes. Spread the remain-

ing breadcrumbs on a plate and use to coat thecrab cakes generously. Cover and refrigerate

for at least 1 hour – or up to 24.

5. Heatalittleclariedbutteroroilinafryingpan over a medium heat and fry the cakes for

3-4 minutes each side. Drain on kitchen paper

and serve hot with the mayonnaise and lemon

wedges.

DEVILLED CRAB CAKES WITH HERBY MAYONNAISE

SPIDER CRAB RECIPE

For the herby mayonnaise

8



SERVES 5-6

INGREDIENTS

• White meat from 2 large spider crabs

• 500g linguine or other pasta

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 3 garlic cloves, chopped

• 1-2smallredchillies,deseededandnelysliced

• 1kg ripe tomatoes, skinned, deseeded and

roughly chopped

• 1 tablespoon chopped chives


METHOD

1. Bring a large pan of water to the boil, salt it

well, then add the linguine and cook until al

dente.

2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a pan, add the

garlic and sweat until softened. Throw in theredchilli(checkitforheatrst,anduseitspar-ingly).

3. Before the garlic takes any colour, add the

chopped tomatoes. Simmer for 5-6 minutes,

until soft and pulpy, then add the crab meat

and heat through. Season to taste, adding more

chilli if you like, then add the chives.

4. Drain the pasta, return it to the pan and add the

crab mixture. Toss lightly and serve straight

away.

SPIDER CRAB LINGUINE

SPIDER CRAB RECIPE

9



SERVES 2

INGREDIENTS

• 2 large dab, descaled and gutted, skin on

• 2 lemons, plus extra wedges to serve

• A few knobs of soft butter, plus extra for

greasing

• Salt

METHOD

1. Preheatyourgrilltomaximum.Trimthensandtailsfromthesh.Cutthelemonsintoslices about 5mm thick. Butter a grill tray and

arrange the lemon slices on it, roughly forming

twoshshapes.2. Smearthebutteralloverthesh,seasonboth

sides with salt and lay, dark side up, on the

lemonslices.Scorethetopsoftheshafewtimes with a very sharp knife.

3. Grilltheshfor5-7minutes,adjustingthegrillheight if necessary, until browned and blistered

ontop,andcookedthrough.(Theeshshould just pull away from the bone.) Baste with the

buttery juices once or twice during cooking.

4. The heat of the grill tray should cook theundersideofthesh;youcanhelpthisbytransferring the tray to a high heat on the hob

for 30 seconds, halfway through cooking, then

returning to the grill.

5. When the dab are ready, slide them, sizzling

hot, on to serving plates. Serve with salad

leaves and some plain, boiled potatoes to

squash into the juices, plus more lemon

wedges.

GRILLED DAB WITH LEMON

10

DAB RECIPE



SERVES 2

INGREDIENTS

• Olive oil

• 2ounder,descaledandgutted,skinon• A large knob of butter, cut into small pieces

• 500g sweet cherry tomatoes, such as Sungold

• A few sprigs of thyme• A few bay leaves


METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 220C/gas 7. Oil a baking

traylargeenoughtoaccommodatethesh.2. Season the surface of the baking tray and place

theshonit,palesidedown.Tricklethesh

with olive oil and massage it in. Season all overwith pepper and lots of salt and dot the butter

over it.

3. Scatterthecherrytomatoesaroundthesh,along with the thyme and bay leaves. Bake for

20-30minutesuntiltheshisjustcookedandthe tomatoes are blistered and soft.

4. Servetheshwiththetomatoesandalltheirbutter, salty-sweet roasting juices.

ROASTED FLOUNDER WITH CHERRY TOMATOES

11

FLOUNDER RECIPE



SERVES 2

INGREDIENTS

• 500gfairlyourypotatoes,suchasMarisPiper,King Edward or

• Desiree, peeled and cut into smallish chunks

• 3–4tablespoonssunowerorrapeseedoil,or

goose fat• 2gurnardllets,around250geach• A few bay leaves


METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6.

2. Put the potatoes in a pan, cover with cold water

and add a good pinch of salt. Bring to the boil,

simmer for 8 minutes, then drain well and

return to the empty pan to steam off for a fewminutes.

3. Put the oil or fat in a large roasting tin and

place in the oven until smoking hot.

4. Generously season the potatoes in their pan,

then rough them up: either hold the lid on and

give the pan a shake or use a sharp fork to

scratch their surfaces.

5. When the oil is smoking hot, tip in the potatoes.

Baste them with the oil, then return to the oven

for 45 minutes, giving them a stir after about 30minutes, until almost done but not too crisp.

6. Create a space in the middle of the tin for the

sh.Addtheshtothetin,sprinkleitwithsaltand pepper, then tuck in the bay leaves.

7. Return to the oven for 10–15 minutes, until tHe

shisjustcooked.Serveatonce,withpeasand ketchup or a tomato sauce.

POT-ROASTED GURNARD

12

GURNARD RECIPE



SERVES 2

INGREDIENTS

• 500gfairlyourypotatoes,suchasMarisPiper,King Edward or

• Desiree, peeled and cut into smallish chunks

• 3–4tablespoonssunowerorrapeseedoil,or

goose fat• 2gurnardllets,around250geach• A few bay leaves


METHOD


2. Put the potatoes in a pan, cover with cold water

and add a good pinch of salt. Bring to the boil,

simmer for 8 minutes, then drain well and

return to the empty pan to steam off for a fewminutes.

3. Put the oil or fat in a large roasting tin and

place in the oven until smoking hot.

4. Generously season the potatoes in their pan,

then rough them up: either hold the lid on and

give the pan a shake or use a sharp fork to

scratch their surfaces.

5. When the oil is smoking hot, tip in the potatoes.

Baste them with the oil, then return to the oven

for 45 minutes, giving them a stir after about 30minutes, until almost done but not too crisp.

6. Create a space in the middle of the tin for the

sh.Addtheshtothetin,sprinkleitwithsaltand pepper, then tuck in the bay leaves.

7. Return to the oven for 10–15 minutes, until the

shisjustcooked.Serveatonce,withpeasand ketchup or a tomato sauce.

ROAST GURNARD FILLETS WITH ROAST POTATOES

13

GURNARD RECIPE



SERVES 4 AS A STARTER

INGREDIENTS

• 250ghot-smokedmackerelllet,skinned• 2 teaspoons freshly grated horseradish root

• 1 tablespoon crème fraiche

• 1 teaspoon caster sugar

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice• 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

• Ahandfulofdillorchives,nelychopped• ½ teaspoon paprik

METHOD

1. Put half the mackerel in a food processor with

the horseradish, crème fraiche, sugar and

lemon juice and blend until smooth.

2. Breakuptheremainingshintoakesandstir

into the blended mixture with the pepper andherbs. Add more lemon juice to taste, if

necessary.

3. Serve on buttered rye bread, sprinkled with

paprika.

HOT-SMOKED MACKEREL PATE

14

MACKEREL RECIPE



SERVES 6-8

INGREDIENTS

• 2 large, hot dried red chillies

• ½st-sizedpiecerootginger,verythinlysliced• 3-4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced

• 75ml soy sauce

• 40ml cider vinegar• 20g soft brown sugar

• About 400ml apple juice

• 6-8 small-medium mackerel, gutted, heads and

tails removed

• Cayenne pepper

METHOD

1. Put the chillies, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, cider

vinegar, sugar and about half the apple juice in

a small pan. Bring to a simmer, stirring occa-

sionally to dissolve the sugar without breaking

up the chillies.2. Arrange the mackerel in a heavy-based sauce-

pan so they are packed in closely with few or

no gaps between them. Pour over the sauce. If

itdoesn’tcoverthesh,addmoreapplejuiceuntil it does (but only just).

3. Give the pan a little shake to re-blend the sauce

and apple juice. Place on the heat and bring to

a simmer. As soon as the simmer begins, turn

down the heat so it doesn’t boil.

4. Cook, covered, at a very gentle simmer for 3hours. You may need to top up the pan with a

little more apple juice from time to time. Don’t

letitboilanddon’tbetemptedtomovethesh.5. Take the mackerel out of the cooking liquid, set

aside and keep warm. Remove and discard the

chillies.

6. Return the pan of cooking liquid to the hob, turn

up the heat and boil until reduced by a third to

a half.

7. Taste the sauce. You want a balance of sweet,

hot, salty and sour, so add more apple juice or

a dash of vinegar or soy, as appropriate. Add

a pinch or two of cayenne pepper if the sauce

lacks heat.

8. Arrangetheshonapileofnoodlesorrice,along with some steamed spinach or pak choi.

Pour over the sauce, and serve.

JAPANESE SLOW-COOKED MACKEREL

15

MACKEREL RECIPE



SERVES 2

INGREDIENTS

• Fillets from 2 medium-large mackerel

• Olive or rapeseed oil

• A few garlic cloves, thickly sliced

• A few bay leaves, roughly torn

• ½ lemon• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD

1. Seasonthemackerellletswithsaltandpep-per. Put a large frying pan over a medium heat

andaddathinlmofoil.2. When the oil is fairly hot, scatter in the garlic

andbayleaves,thenlaythemackerellletsover them, skin side down. Cook fairly gently,

letting the garlic and bay just sizzle in the oil

underandnexttothesh.3. Asitcooks,themackereleshwillchange

from translucent pink to opaque white. When

thelletsarealmostcompletelywhite,turnthemoverforjustaminutetonishcooking.The whole process won’t take longer than 5

minutes.

4. Liftthemackerellletsfromthepan,leavingthe bay and garlic behind (they’re probably just

starting to burn a bit).

5. Givethelletsasqueezeoflemonjuiceandserve straight away, with salad (a sliced tomato

salad is delicious with mackerel) and either

new potatoes or buttered bread.

QUICK-FRIED MACKEREL WITH GARLIC AND BAY

16

MACKEREL RECIPE



SERVES 2

INGREDIENTS

• Very fresh mackerel

• Hot English mustard

• Soy sauce

METHOD

1. Withalletingknife,makea45degreecutjustbehindthenofthemackerel,towardsthehead. Stop when you hit the bones in the mid-

dleofthesh.

2. Turn the knife and cut back towards the tail.If you can hear the bones scrape beneath the

knife as you cut, you’ll know you’ve cut a really

goodlletwithasmuchmeataspossible.3. Cutawaythenebellybonesfromthellet.Cut

thelleteithersideofthecentralpinbones,and slice away from the skin to make two half

llets.4. Cuteachhalflletintolittlediagonalsections

and serve with a dash of soy sauce and a dab

of hot mustard.

HUGH’S MACKEREL SASHIMI

17

MACKEREL RECIPE



SERVES 2

INGREDIENTS

• A knob of butter


• 4shallotsor2onions,nelychopped• 2 teaspoons mild curry powder

• ½ glass white wine• 750g-1kg mussels, scrubbed and debearded

• 3-4sprigsofcoriander,nelychopped• 3-4lovageleaves,nelychopped(optional)• 2 tablespoons double cream


METHOD

1. Heat the butter and oil in a large pan. Add the

shallots or onions and sweat gently for 10 min-

utes, until soft.

2. Add the curry powder and cook for a minute,

then pour in the wine and half a glass of waterand bring to a simmer.

3. Add the mussels to the pan, cover and let them

steam over a medium-high heat for 3-4 min-

utes, until the shells are open. Remove them

from the pan with a slotted spoon and discard

any that stay resolutely shut.

4. Pick all but a dozen mussels from their shells

and put them into warmed bowls, reserving any

liquid they release. Set aside the mussels in

their shells.5. Add the chopped coriander and lovage, if us-

ing, to the liquor that remains in the pan, along

with the cream and any liquid from shelling the

mussels. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, then season

to taste.

6. Ladle the liquor over the mussels in the bowls.

Garnish with the shell-on mussels and serve

straight away, with bread.

CURRIED MUSSELS

18

MUSSELS RECIPE



SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS


• 1 shallot, chopped

• 1kg mussels, scrubbed and debearded

• 1 tablespoon rapeseed or olive oil, plus a little

moretonish

• 150g smoked bacon or pancetta, diced fairlysmall

• 1fatgarlicclove,nelychopped• About 400ml whole milk

• 50g butter

• 50gplainour• 500g fresh spinach, tough stalks removed

• A squeeze of lemon juice

• 75g fresh white breadcrumbs

• 50g Cheddar or Parmesan, grated (optional)

• Freshly ground black pepper

MUSSEL, SPINACH AND BACON GRATIN

METHOD


2. Put a large pan over a high heat and add the

wine, 2 tablespoons of water and the diced

shallot. Bring to a simmer, then throw in the

mussels and cover with the lid.

3. Let the mussels steam open in the pan for 3-4minutes, shaking once or twice. Remove from

the pan with a slotted spoon (discarding any

thatremainrmlyshut)andsetasideuntilcoolenough to handle.

4. Pick the mussels from their shells and set

aside. Strain all the cooking liquor through a

nesieveoracoarsesievelinedwithacloth.

5. Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the bacon

and sauté gently until starting to crisp up.

Add the garlic and cook for a further minute

or so, being careful not to let the garlic burn.

Transfer to a bowl.

6. Now make the béchamel e béchamel sauce.Season with freshly ground black pepper and

a squeeze of lemon juice.

7. Divide the mixture between four buttered,

shallow ovenproof dishes or spread in one

large gratin dish. Sprinkle over the bread-

crumbs, plus the cheese if using, and trickle

over a little rapeseed or olive oil.

8. Drop the spinach into a large pan of boiling

water and cook for just a minute, until wilted.

Drain, leave to cool a little, then squeezeout excess water with your hands. Chop the

spinach roughly.

9. Fold the bacon, mussels and spinach into the

béchamel sauce. Season with freshly ground

black pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice.

10. Divide the mixture between four buttered,

shallow ovenproof dishes or spread in one

large gratin dish. Sprinkle over the bread-

crumbs, plus the cheese if using, and trickle

over a little rapeseed or olive oil.11. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden and

bubbling. Serve hot, with bread.

19

MUSSELS RECIPE



SERVES 1

INGREDIENTS

• 3 rashers streaky bacon, halved

• 2-3 eggs, beaten

• ½-1tablespoonnelychoppedatleafparsley• 6 oysters, shelled

• A handful of fresh white breadcrumbs, sea-soned

• 20g butter


METHOD

1. In a dry frying pan, cook the bacon over a

medium heat until just crisp. Drain on kitchen

paper and keep warm.

2. Season the beaten eggs with plenty of salt and

pepper and add the parsley.3. Dip the oysters in the beaten egg, then coat in

the breadcrumbs.

4. Melt the butter in an ovenproof frying pan over

a medium heat and fry the oysters for a couple

of minutes until golden. Preheat the grill.

5. Pour the rest of the egg mixture over the oys-

ters in the frying pan and let it set slightly. Pull

the set egg away from the sides with a spatula,

allowing the uncooked egg to run towards the

edges.6. Just before the egg has all set, lay the bacon

rashersoverthetopoftheomeletteandnishoff under the grill for a minute or so, just until

set. Serve immediately.

HANGTOWN FRY

OYSTERS RECIPE

20



SERVES 6

INGREDIENTS

• 50g butter


• About 400g celeriac, peeled and cut into small

dice (the size of petits pois)

• 1 small potato (about 100g), peeled and cut intosmall dice

• 2 tender inner stems celery, peeled and cut into

small dice

• 1 large leek, white part only, quartered length-

waysandnelysliced• 1smallonion,nelydiced• 2garliccloves,verynelychopped• 750mlshorshellshstock• ½ glass white wine

• 18 fresh oysters• 100ml double cream


METHOD

1. Set a large saucepan over a medium heat and

add the butter and oil. When foaming, stir in all

the chopped vegetables and the garlic. Cook

gently for 5-10 minutes, until softened but not

coloured.2. Add the stock and white wine and bring to a

gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 20-25 min-

utes, stirring once or twice, until all the vegeta-

bles are tender.

3. Meanwhile, place a large pan over a high heat

and add half a glass of water. When it’s boiling,

put 6 oysters in the pan. Cover and allow them

to steam for 2 minutes.

4. This will open the shells and allow you to re-

move the meat: you will still need to lever openthe shell with an oyster knife, but it will be a

much easier task than with a raw oyster.

5. Repeat with the remaining oysters. Each oyster

will have a little juice in its shell: make sure you

don’t spill this.

6. Finish the broth by stirring in the cream and the

juice from the oysters and seasoning to taste.

7. Divide the warm poached oysters between

warmed bowls and ladle over the hot broth,

making sure each person gets a fair share ofvegetables along with the liquor.

LEEK, CELERIAC AND OYSTER BROTH

21

OYSTERS RECIPE



SERVES 6

INGREDIENTS

• 300g-350gsmokedpollackllet• Up to 1 litre whole milk

• Knob of butter

• 2onions,nelysliced

• 400g spinach, tough stalks removed• 50g mature Cheddar, grated

• 200ml double cream

• 2 eggs

• 2 egg yolks

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• For the pastry

• 200gplainour• Pinch of salt

• 100g cold, unsalted butter, cubed

• 1 egg, separated• About 50ml cold milk

METHOD

1. Startwiththepastry.Puttheour,saltandbut -

ter in a food processor and pulse until the mix

resembles breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk then,

with the processor running, slowly add milk

until the dough comes together.2. Tipoutontoaouredsurface,kneadacoupleof times to make a smooth ball of dough, then

wrap and chill for half an hour.

3. Preheat the oven to 170C/gas 3. Roll out the

pastrythinlyonaouredsurfaceandusetoline a 25cm tart tin. Leave excess pastry

hanging over the edge. Prick several times with

a fork.

4. Line the pastry with greaseproof paper and

baking beans. Bake for 15 minutes, then

remove the paper and beans and return the

SMOKED POLLACK AND SPINACH TART

pastry to the oven for 10 minutes until it

looks dry and cooked.

5. Lightly beat the egg white. Brush over the

pastry and return to the oven for another 5

minutes. Trim off the excess pastry with asmall, sharp knife.

6. Put the smoked pollack in a pan, cutting it

intwoifnecessarysoittsinasinglelayer.Pourinenoughmilktojustcoverthesh.

7. Cover the pan and bring to a simmer. Re-

movefromtheheat.Iftheshisnotcooked,leave it in the hot milk a little longer. Re-

movethecookedshfromthepan.Strainthe milk and leave to cool.

8. Heat the butter in a pan, add the onions andfry gently until soft and golden brown (a

good 15 minutes).

9. Drop the spinach into a large pan of boil-

ing water and cook for just a minute, until

wilted. Drain and leave until cool enough to

handle then squeeze out the water with your

hands. Chop the spinach roughly.

10. Flaketheshintoabowl,discardingtheskin and bones. Add the Cheddar, onions

and spinach. Mix well. Put the mixture in the

pastry case.

11. Mix200mlofthesh-poachingmilkwiththe cream, eggs and egg yolks. Season and

pour into the pastry case. Bake at 170C/

gas 3 for about 40 minutes, until lightly set.

Serve warm or cold.

22

POLLACK RECIPE



SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS


• A knob of butter

• 1 tablespoon white wine

• A squeeze of lemon juice

• 2stripsnelyparedlemonzest• A couple of sprigs of thyme

• 2-3 bay leaves

• ½ teaspoon fennel seeds (optional)

• 1smallgarlicclove,nelysliced(optional)• 750g-1kgthickpollackllet,cutinto2-3cm

thick medallions


METHOD

1. Put the oil, butter and wine in a large, wide

saucepan or deep frying pan along with a

tablespoon of water, the lemon juice, zest,

thyme and bay – and the fennel seeds and

garlic, if using. Bring to a simmer.2. Seasontheshmedallionslightlywithsaltand

pepper, then arrange them in the pan in a single

layer. Cover and cook for 4-6 minutes,

dependingonthethicknessofthesh,turningthem once, carefully.

3. Transfertheshtowarmedplatesandspoonover the juices. Boiled spuds or mash and

something fresh and green – broccoli, perhaps,

or spring greens – are the only

accompaniments you need.

STEAM-BRAISED POLLACK WITH THYME AND LEMON

23

POLLACK RECIPE



SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

• 25g unsalted butter

• 1 large onion, sliced

• 1largeleek,trimmedandnelysliced• 400mlshstock

• 400ml milk• 300gsmokedpollackllet• 250g potatoes, peeled and cut into small

chunks

• Kernels sliced from 2 cobs of sweetcorn

• Parsley, to garnish


METHOD

1. Heat the butter in a large saucepan over a me-

dium heat. Add the onion and leeks and sweat

for a few minutes.

2. Add the stock and the milk and bring to a

simmer. Add the smoked pollack to the panand lightly poach it for a few minutes, til just

cooked, then lift from the pan and leave to cool

in a colander.

3. Add the chopped potatoes to the simmering

brothandcookuntiltender.Meanwhile,akethesmokedshintoabowl,discardingtheskinandanybonesyoundalongtheway.

4. When the potatoes are almost cooked, add the

sweetcorn to the broth and cook for a couple of

minutes.5. Finally,addtheakedshandstirin.Check

the seasoning then serve the chowder in small

bowls,nishedwithlotsofchoppedparsley.

SMOKED POLLACK CHOWDER

24

POLLACK RECIPE



SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

• 2tablespoonssunoweroil• 400ml tin of coconut milk

• 200mlshstockorwater• 2tablespoonsThaishsauce(nampla)

• 2 teaspoons sugar• 125g French beans

• 100g spring onions

• 500grmshllets,suchaspollack,gurnardor grey mullet, skinned

• 300g fresh spider crab meat – a mix of white

and brown, or all white if you prefer

• A handful of coriander, Thai basil or ordinary

basil leaves, roughly torn

• 2–6 small green chillies, according to heat,

deseeded if you like, chopped

• 3–4 small shallots or 1 small onion, chopped

• 100g fresh ginger, chopped

• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped

• 2 tablespoons galangal paste (optional)

• 3 lemongrass stalks, tough outer layers re-

moved,nelysliced• 2 teaspoons ground coriander

• 2 tablespoons ground cumin

• Juice and grated zest of 1 lime

• 4kafrlimeleaves,chopped(optional)• 1 teaspoon Thai shrimp paste

• 1 teaspoon sea salt

METHOD

1. Put all the curry paste ingredients into a food

processor or blender and whiz to a fairly

smooth paste, adding a tablespoon of water to

help it along if necessary.

2. Heat the oil in a heavy-based saucepan, thenscrape in the curry paste. Fry over a low-medi-

um heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring often, without

letting it colour.

3. Addthecoconutmilk,stockorwater,shsauce and sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer and

cook, uncovered, for 20–25 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, cut the French beans into 2–3cm

lengths and slice the spring onions on the di-

agonal. Add these to the curry sauce and cook

for 5 minutes.5. Cuttheshlletsintolargebite-sizedpieces.Add these to the pan, cover with a lid and sim-

mergentlyfor2–3minutes,untiltheshisjustcooked.

6. Stir in the crabmeat and heat through gently for

another minute. Serve in deep bowls, scattered

with the coriander or basil and accompanied by

boiled rice.

THAI FISH CURRY

For the curry paste:

25

POLLACK RECIPE



SERVES 5-6

INGREDIENTS

• 50g coarse sea salt

• 500gpoutingllets• 4 small, hot chorizo sausages, about 250g total,

sliced on the diagonal

• 2 garlic cloves, sliced• 2 onions, sliced

• 2celerystalks,nelychopped• A pinch of fennel seeds

• About 500g potatoes, peeled and cut into

chunky cubes

• 200ml white wine

• 500mlshorshellshstock• 1tablespoonnelychoppedparsley

• 1kgripe,full-avouredtomatoes,halved• 2-3garliccloves,nelychopped• 2 tablespoons olive oil

METHOD

1. Start with the tomato sauce. Preheat the oven

to 180C/gas 4. Arrange the tomato halves in an

ovenproofdishsotheytsnuglysidebyside.Mix the garlic and oil and trickle over the toma-

toes. Season lightly.2. Roast the tomatoes for 35-45 minutes until

soft and pulpy and lightly browned. Give them a

quick blitz in a food processor, then rub through

a sieve to create a rich tomato puree.

3. Lightlysaltthesh:scatterhalfthecoarsesaltover the base of a plastic tray or ceramic dish.

Laythepoutingllets,skinsidedown,onthesalt. Scatter the remaining salt evenly over the

sh.

4. Leave for 5-10 minutes, depending on the sizeofthellets,thenrinseoffallthesaltandpattheshdry.Setasideinthefridge.

5. Put the chorizo in a large, heavy saucepan and

fry over a medium heat until lightly coloured.

Add the garlic, onions, celery, fennel seeds and

potatoes. Fry gently for 10 minutes to soften the

vegetables without browning them.

6. Pour in the wine and simmer until reduced by

half. Add 250ml of the tomato sauce (any left

over can be chilled and used for another dish)

and the stock, bring to a simmer and cook,

covered, for 20 minutes.

7. Meanwhile,skintheshlletsandremoveanypin bones by slicing down either side of the

boneline.Cuttheshintofairlylargechunks–verysmalllletscanbeusedwhole.

8. When the tomatoey soup has had its 20 min-

utes,addthesh.Cookbrieyinthegentlysimmering soup – just 2-3 minutes. Season

with pepper – adding salt only if necessary.

Ladle into warmed bowls, garnish with theparsley and serve.

POUTING AND CHORIZO SOUP

For the roasted tomato sauce:

26

POUTING RECIPE



SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

• 4lletsofpouting,around200geach• 100gplainour• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

• 150gfairlyne,freshbreadcrumbs

• 250mlsunoweroil• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 2 generous tablespoons mayonnaise

(preferably homemade)

• 1-2hard-boiledeggs,nelychopped• 1 tablespoon roughly chopped parsley

• 1 teaspoon chopped dill

• 2-3gherkins,nelychopped• 2teaspoonscapers,nelychopped• Juice of ½ lemon

METHOD

1. Make the tartare sauce by simply stirring

everything together in a bowl. Set aside.

2. Putthepoutinglletsonaboardandskinthem. Then give them a quick bone-check with

yourngertips.3. Puttheourinadeepplateandseasonwith

salt and pepper. Put the beaten eggs and the

breadcrumbs in two separate deep dishes.

4. Lightlycoatonelletofshintheour,shak-

ingoffanyexcess.Diptheouredshintheegg, making sure it’s well coated, then roll it in

breadcrumbs so it’s generously covered. Repeat

withtheremainingllets.5. Set a large, fairly deep, non-stick frying pan

over a medium heat and add the oil – it shouldbe about 1cm deep.

6. Whentheoilishot,frythebreadedllets,inbatches if necessary, for 2-3 minutes each side,

until golden brown and crisp. Serve with the

tartare sauce, along with buttered peas and

sautéed potatoes, chips or mash.

BREADCRUMBED FILLETS OF POUTING

WITH TARTARE SAUCE

27

For the tartare sauce

POUTING RECIPE



SERVES 2

INGREDIENTS

• 2 very fresh red mullet, descaled and gutted,

livers reserved


• 25g butter

• 1 small garlic clove, unpeeled• 1 bay leaf

• 2greenolives,nelychopped• 1anchovyllet,chopped• 1 tablespoon white wine


METHOD

1. Removetheliversfromtheshandsetaside.Seasonthesh.Placealarge,non-stickfryingpan over a medium-low heat.

2. Add the oil and butter to the pan then the garlic

cloveandthebayleaf,thenaddthewholesh.3. Sizzletheshgentlyfor8-10minutes,then

turn over and cook for 6-7 minutes more, until

cooked through (test the thickest part to see if

it comes easily away from the bone). Remove

from the pan and keep warm.

4. Keeping the pan on the heat, remove the

cooked garlic clove, then peel and chop it – it

shouldn’t be too burnt if you have cooked the

shgently.Combineitwiththechoppedolives

and anchovy.5. Add the garlic mixture to the hot pan, along

withtheshliversandwine.Sauteforhalfaminute to reduce the wine a little, then remove

the pan from the heat and mash everything

together with a fork.

6. Smear this paste over the skin of the mullet,

and serve, accompanied by plain mash or

sautéed potatoes and a tomato and chive salad.

RED MULLET, WOODCOCK-STYLE

RED MULLET RECIPE

28



SERVES 6

INGREDIENTS

• 12 large sardines, descaled and gutted

• Olive oil

• For the spice mix

• 2 teaspoons cumin seeds

• 2 teaspoons coriander seeds• 2 teaspoons caraway seeds

• 1 heaped teaspoon salt

• 1 heaped teaspoon sugar

• 1 teaspoon paprika

• A good pinch of coriander seeds

• A good pinch of cumin seeds

• A good pinch of caraway seeds

• Agoodpinchofdriedchilliakes• 1largeor2smallredonions,nelysliced• 2garliccloves,nelysliced• 2 bay leaves

• 1 glass white wine

• ½ wine glass of wine vinegar or cider vinegar

METHOD

1. Put a heavy-based frying pan over a medium

heat. Add the whole spices for the dry spice mixand toast for a few minutes, until they just start

to pop.

2. Put the spices in a large mortar (or a spice

grinder), add the salt and sugar and grind to a

netexture.Stirinthepaprika.3. Make sure the sardines are dry to the touch,

patting them with kitchen paper if necessary.

Lay them on a board or large plate and dust

with the spice mixture, making sure they are

evenly covered.4. Put a large, heavy frying pan over a medium

SARDINE ESCABECHE

For the marinade

heat and add a glug of olive oil.

5. Addtheshtothepan(cooktheminbatches).Fry gently for 3-4 minutes, turning occasionally,

colouring and crisping them lightly all over. Don’t

fret about cooking them right through as cookingwill be completed by the hot marinade.

6. Transferthefriedshtoadeepdishformarinat-ing. If you use an ovenproof dish, you won’t have

totransfertheshtoanothervesselshouldyouwant to reheat them later.

7. Leave the frying pan on the heat and add a little

more oil. Throw in the coriander, cumin, caraway

and chilli for the marinade, then add the sliced

onion, garlic and bay leaves.

8. Fry for 4-5 minutes until the onion is soft andslightly coloured. Pour in the wine and vinegar,

bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, using a

wooden spoon to scrape up any caramelised bits

from the pan.

9. Pourthehotmarinadeoverthesh,makingsurethey are completely covered. Leave to cool, then

chill for at least 6 hours before serving (they will

keep in the fridge for a couple of days).

10. The escabeche is best served at room tempera-

ture or slightly warm, rather than hot or cold.Either take it out of the fridge a few hours before

you serve it or reheat gently in a low oven, in its

marinade.

11. Servewithatbreads,suchaspittaorhomemadetortillas, or toasted sourdough, and perhaps a

cucumber and lettuce salad.

29

SARDINES RECIPESARDINES RECIPE



SERVES 1

INGREDIENTS

• 2–3 cold cooked potatoes

• About 75g cold, cooked French beans

• 2–3 tinned sardines, drained

• 1–2 tablespoons rapeseed or extra virgin olive

oil• A lemon wedge


METHOD

1. Slice the potatoes thickly and arrange in a layer

in your lunchbox (or on a plate). Scatter the

beans over the top, followed by some salt and

pepper.

2. Add the sardines, broken into rough chunks ifyou like. Trickle on the oil, tuck in the wedge of

lemon for last-minute squeezing, and seal your

lunchbox (or serve up).

SARDINE NICOISE LUNCHBOX

30

SARDINES RECIPE



SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

• 2 large or 4 small squid, cleaned, wings and

tentacles reserved, ink reserved if possible


• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 2onions,nelychopped• 1garlicclove,nelychopped• 700mlshorshellshstock• 350g Arborio or other risotto rice

• 1heapedtablespoonchoppedatleafparsley• Extravirginoliveoil,tonish• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• For the roasted tomato sauce

• 2kgripe,full-avouredtomatoes,halved• 4-6garliccloves,nelychopped• 3-4 tablespoons olive oil

METHOD

1. Start with the tomato sauce. Preheat the oven

to 180C/gas 4. Arrange the tomato halves in one

layer in a large, ovenproof dish (or 2 smallerones). Mix the garlic and oil and trickle over the

tomatoes. Season.

2. Roast the tomatoes for 35-45 minutes until

soft and pulpy and lightly browned. Give them a

quick blitz in a food processor, then rub through

a sieve to create a rich tomato sauce. You need

about 600ml for this recipe.

3. Slice the cleaned squid bodies and wings into

thin strips and roughly chop the tentacles. Set

aside.

4. Heat a knob of butter and the olive oil in a large

SQUID AND TOMATO RISOTTO

For the roasted tomato sauce

saucepan, add the onions and garlic and

sweat for 10 minutes, stirring from time to

time, until soft and translucent. Don’t let

them brown.

5. Meanwhile,heattheshstockand600mlroasted tomato sauce together in a pan over

a low heat. Keep it hot, just belowsimmering.

6. Add the rice to the onions in the pan, stirring

well for a moment to coat the grains in the

butter.

7. Addaladlefulofthehotshandtomatostock and let the rice simmer gently away,

stirring constantly, until the stock has

almost all been absorbed.

8. Add another ladleful of stock to the rice and

continue cooking in this way until all thestock has gone in (if you have the squid ink,

add it about halfway through the cooking

time).

9. Youshouldndthatittakesabout20 minutes to incorporate all the liquid into the

risotto, and that the rice at that point will be

tender, with just the merest suggestion of

bite still in it.

10. Stir the squid into the simmering risotto

about 5 minutes before the end of the

cooking time – probably with the

penultimate ladleful of stock.

11. When the rice is cooked, season with salt

and plenty of black pepper and turn off the

heat. Scatter a few little scraps of butter

over the surface of the rice and cover the

pan for 2 minutes.

12. Remove the lid, stir in the melted butter and

spoon the risotto into warmed dishes. Finish

with the chopped parsley and a trickle of

very good extra virgin olive oil.

31

SQUID RECIPE



SERVES 2

INGREDIENTS

• 4 medium-small squid, 12-15cm body length,

cleaned, tentacles and wings reserved

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 2garliccloves,nelysliced

• 500g ripe, fresh tomatoes, skinned, deseededand chopped, or 400g tin plum tomatoes,

chopped

• 200mlshorshellshstock• Thinly pared zest of 1 lemon

• 2 bay leaves

• 100ml dry sherry

• Smallbunchofatleafparsley,nelychopped• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• Forthestufng• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1smallonion,nelychopped• 4garliccloves,nelychopped• 1celerystick,nelydiced• 50g long grain white rice

• 1½teaspoonsnelychoppedrosemary• 1½teaspoonsnelychoppedthyme• 200g cooking chorizo, rind removed, meat

crumbled

• Squeeze of lemon juice

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 120C/gas ½.

2. Tomakethestufng,heattheoliveoilinasmall pan, add the onion, garlic and celery and

sauté gently for about 10 minutes, until soft.

Leave to cool a little.3. Finely chop the squid tentacles and wings. Put

them in a bowl with the cooked onion mixture,

alltheremainingstufngingredientsandsomesalt and pepper and mix well.

4. Stuff the mixture into the squid bodies, so each

is about two-thirds full. The rice will expand

quite a lot during cooking. Secure the open

ends with cocktail sticks. Any remaining

stufngcanbestirredintothesauce.

5. Choose a heavy-based casserole in which yoursquid will sit snugly side by side. Place over a

medium heat, add the olive oil and throw in the

sliced garlic.

6. When the garlic is just beginning to colour, add

thetomatoes,followedbytheshstock,lemonzest, bay leaves and sherry. Season with salt

and pepper.

7. Place the squid in the dish, carefully push-

ing them down into the sauce. Bring to a very

gentle simmer.

8. Transfer the dish, uncovered, to the oven and

cook for 2-2½ hours until the squid is very ten-

der.Don’tworryifsomeofthestufngforcesits way out. Serve scattered with the chopped

parsley, with a green salad.

BRAISED SQUID STUFFED WITH CHORIZO AND RICE

Forthestufng

3232

SQUID RECIPE



SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

• 4skinnedlletsofwhitingand/orpouting,about 200g each

• 4tablespoonsplainour• 2 eggs, beaten

• 200g white breadcrumbs made from day-oldbread

• Sunoweroil,forfrying• Chopped parsley and lemon wedges, to serve

• Salt and freshly ground pepper

METHOD

1. Lightlyseasontheshlletswithsaltand pepper.

2. Lightlyseasontheourandputitonaplatelargeenoughtotakeoneofthellets.Putthe

beaten egg on another large plate and thebreadcrumbs on a third.

3. Dipthelletsintheseasonedour,thentheegg,thencoverthelletsinbreadcrumbs.

4. Heatashallowlayerofsunoweroilinafryingpanoveramediumheat.Transferthelletstothe pan and sizzle for a couple of minutes on

each side.

5. Serve with a sprinkling of chopped parsley and

halfalemonforsqueezing.Theshisalsovery

goodnishedoffwithasimplesaucemadefrom oven-roasted tomatoes that have been

rubbed through a sieve.

BREADCRUMBED WHITING AND/OR POUTING

33

WHITTING RECIPE



ALL OF THESE RECIPES ARE FROM

RIVER COTTAGE EVERY DAY OR

THE RIVER COTTAGE FISH BOOK

*All Hugh’s recipes and images within have been provided with permission

by Bloomsbury Publishing

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