Introduction 8 RAW 14 CURED 28 PICKLED 6 SOUSED 42 SMOKED 56 STEAMED 70 POACHED 84 BOILED 6 BRAISED 98 GRILLED 112 BARBECUED 126 BAKED 140 PAN-FRIED 154 DEEP-FRIED 168 Preparing fish 6 shellfish 182 Basic recipes 212 Index 220 INTRODUCTION People often ask me how I keep coming up with new dishes. The answer isn't straightforward, but to keep at the top of my game and to satisfy my creativity my cooking has to continuously evolve. Some of my favourite times in my kitchens are when I get together with the guys to discuss and try out ideas for new dishes. Sometimes a supplier brings in something that triggers my imagination. I think to myself, 'That would be nice with .. .', or I draw on my classical training or experiences I've had eating elsewhere; then again a new dish may emerge from a happy accident! Whatever the source of the idea, the recipes in this book are for dishes I've created and love to cook both in the restaurant kitchens and at home. And the key is that they are simple to prepare, based on sustainable species and all made with ingredients you can shop for easily. I want you to use this book, not just put it on a shelf! I want you to realise that cooking fish and seafood is not as difficult as many people seem to think. To make life easier I've divided the recipes into chapters according to the way each dish is cooked - or just prepped in the case of raw dishes. For each chapter, I have given you information about the technique used that will help you to understand what happens to the seafood as you follow the recipe, thus enabling you to get fantastic results. I've also indicated the varieties of fish and shellfish that respond best to each technique and suggested appropriate accompaniments and garnishes, so that you wow those you are cooking for every time. To give you an insight into my style of cooking, I've covered all the techniques I use. I like to think I'm not a stereotypical chef. I don't have signature dishes, I do not make demands on my fishermen or suppliers, and I don't cook food that is complicated. My dishes may be complex in terms of their flavour and texture combinations, but they are really not overly complicated to prepare. That's the secret! So, how do I decide what I'm going to cook? Local seafood is, of course, my main source of inspiration. For me, creating a dish always starts with the fish or shellfish. That definitely has to be 'the star of the show'. Then I look to the other produce that is available to me and in season, using only the best quality - that way I can be sure of great results. Unlike meat and poultry, seafood is highly seasonal, so it is variable and it isn't always available when you'd like it to be. I've learnt to deal with this by taking a flexible approach to my cooking, mixing and matching where necessary. Some of my most successful dishes have been born out of adversity - for instance, I I\IT I\O I) LI CT IO I\I 9 I've said before, it should have that lovely smell of the sea that reminds you where it's come from, not an aroma that repels you. Another tip. When you go to buy seafood, take a cool bag and ice blocks with you, unless you know your fishmonger will be packing the fish in ice when you buy it. Online fishmongers will use special packaging to ensure their seafood reaches you in good condition. When you get your fish home, I suggest you move your salad out of the salad drawer and use it for your fish instead. Oysters and shellfish are ok stored at standard fridge temperature (4°C), but fish should, ideally, be kept at about 1 °C (though a little higher won't hurt). You can achieve this by using ice packs, but don't place them in direct contact with the fish, or it will suffer freezer-burn. You'll also need to change the ice regularly, before it turns to water - sea fish do not take well to being kept in fresh water. Fish freezes well and it's a sensible thing to do if you get the chance of a true bargain or are offered a large haul. Make sure it is very fresh though, then wrap it really well in freezer wrap, seal it in a bag and it will be fine for a few months. The best way to defrost fish is slowly in the fridge - either overnight or throughout the day if you are cooking it in the evening. Cooked lobster and crab also freeze well, if well wrapped. When assembling your fish and seafood prep toolkit, the first item on your list should be a good-quality flexible filleting knife (but not one that is too bendable or it will be hard to control and potentially dangerous, not to mention difficult to sharpen). You'll also need a good heavy cook's knife for cracking lobsters and cutting through the bones of fish for steaks. For the latter, I use a rubber mallet to hit the knife for extra force if necessary. When it comes to removing heads from whole fish, a strong, serrated knife is the ideal tool. I use a sturdy boning knife to open scallop shells and to remove the flat shell, then I prise the scallop from the shell with a cheap, flat metal tablespoon (the sort you find in a school canteen or motorway service station). I also use the handle end of that spoon to pick out crab meat from the shell and lobster claws and knuckles. For descaling fish, I find that a small, serrated knife is the easiest tool to use, but you can buy a proper fish descaler, or scrape away the scales with the edge of a scallop shell, if you prefer. Strong tweezers are essential for removing the pin bones from fish too. Buy yourself a smooth, heavy, blue plastic chopping board and keep it solely for prepping fish. Generally, I don't favour plastic chopping boards, but with seafood it really is the only way. After use, wash it in cold water first to get rid of any fishy bits and then use hot, soapy water to wash it thoroughly. On really hot days I put the board in the fridge before I prepare my fish; it helps to keep the temperature down. Of course, there are specific items of equipment for different cooking techniques and you'll find details of these at the start of each chapter. Please, don't skimp on quality. Good-quality equipment will last you a lifetime and it is much nicer to use. Cheaper alternatives are a false economy. So, that's about it. You have some useful 'insider' tips, your fish and seafood toolkit is ready and all you need to do now is choose your recipe. Happy cooking! I I\IT I\O I) LI CT IO I\I 12 This is where we start: no heat required, just the freshest and best quality seafood. Raw fish is a relatively new thing in the West, yet the Japanese have been eating sushi and sashimi for centuries. That's why I follow their lead in the knowledge of raw seafood, including the best varieties to use. Other cultures - Nordic, Italian, Spanish, South American and Caribbean - also have raw fish as part of their traditional diet but, to me, the Japanese are the masters. Nearly all of our sea friends are edible, but not all of them are edible raw. So which fish are best for raw dishes? Well, for me, scallops, salmon and mackerel, as these are my favourites. Tuna, obviously, is great too, but we really only see our fisherman land albacore tuna, which is different from the tuna you usually find in sushi restaurants - typically yellowfin that has been fished in other oceans. Mind you, saying that, it is also nice prepared raw, just different. The way fish and shellfish have been caught and kept from that point are vital considerations if you are eating them raw. Obviously, fishermen that supply the finest, freshest fish are your best source of supply. Their fish will have been killed swiftly, gutted quickly and bled well. It all sounds a little nasty, but it is essential that it is done this way. If the fish isn't killed swiftly it will become stressed and physiological reactions to stress have an adverse affect on the texture of the fish, causing it to become tough. If the fish isn't gutted quickly, any parasites will immediately try to attack and travel into the flesh from the guts. And if the fish isn't bled briskly, the blood will settle in the flesh, giving a very bitter taste and an unpleasant appearance. It may well surprise you to learn that I usually prefer to freeze very fresh fi.sh for raw preparations, except oysters. In most cases, freezing helps to tenderise the seafood, but its main purpose is to deal with parasites. I don't want to put you off, but parasites are everywhere - they're part of life - though freezing kills most of them. Many of the best sushi chefs in the world freeze their seafood and I'd recommend you do too, to be on the safe side. I have eaten raw fish in restaurants in various countries and, of course, I serve it in my own. Of the dishes I have tasted, a few stand out for me: a razor clam dish at Noma in Copenhagen; an Italian raw prawn dish at The Seahorse in Dartmouth, Devon; and an oyster dish with pear at Mirazur in Menton, South of France. They all had one thing in common: simplicity. • In raw seafood dishes, more than any other preparation, simplicity is so important. Don't let raw fi.sh scare you. It is fantastic, healthy and unique in flavour. Just be smart about where you get the fi.sh, how you store it and what you put it with. Hopefully I can help you with that. BEST FISH FOR RAW PREPARATION Scallops, salmon, mackerel, horse mackerel, tuna, sea trout, brill, bream, bass, prawns, oysters, mussels, clams. ACCOMPANIMENTS & GARNISHES Citrus fruits, fresh herbs, vinegars, oils, pickled vegetables (page 216), vegetable marmalades (pages 45 and 58). •Next >