Jane Grigson's Fish Book Part 8

At home, cut the eel into 5- or 8-cm (2- or 3-inch) pieces. In a large bowl, beat together a vinaigrette of 250 ml (8 fl oz) olive oil, 4 tablespoons lemon juice or wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Add 2 or 3 bay leaves. Put in the well-washed pieces of eel, mixing them up thoroughly. You can also add a good handful of breadcrumbs. Leave for 2 hours or longer.

Drain the pieces, then thread them on to long skewers if you have an electric spit, or on to six individual skewers if you intend to grill, barbecue or oven-roast them. Between each piece put a bay leaf, and on long skewers use chunks of bread at each end to help keep the eel in place as the spit turns. If you are baking the eel, stand the skewers on a rack in a pan so that the fat can drip away freely.

However you decide to cook the eel, it should come into contact at first with high heat. With an oven, preheat it to gas 8, 230 C (450 F). You can lower the temperature later if there is a risk of scorching. With indoor grills and electric spits, preheat them for 15 or 20 minutes. With charcoal, make sure that it has reached that ashy grey-looking stage that conceals the fierce red heat of the coals beneath.

As the eel begins to drip, baste it with left-over marinade and keep basting it with fresh fine breadcrumbs that will catch the heat and turn into a golden-brown coating by the time the eel parts from the bone and is cooked.

Have ready a very hot serving dish and plates. Intersperse the skewers of eel with lemon wedges and little bunches of parsley.

MATELOTE OF EEL (Matelote d'anguille) Unlike many of the smaller French rivers, the Loir has never been ca.n.a.lized into straight, poplar-lined elegance. It runs into a medieval diversity of side streams and leats, which once turned the wheels of a hundred and more mills from Proust's Illiers-Combray down to Angers. A paradise for eels. And for eel fishermen after a successful inspection of their nets they return to house or cave cave for wine. Most of the catch goes into a tank for the time being, but one or two are strung up and skinned. Meanwhile, a bundle of vine prunings is reduced to embers between two rows of bricks to make a rough barbecue. The pieces of eel are rubbed with coa.r.s.e grey sea salt, placed on an iron rack over the heat and grilled gently to golden brown. I don't think it is imagination to declare that eel grilled over vine prunings is the best way of all to cook it. for wine. Most of the catch goes into a tank for the time being, but one or two are strung up and skinned. Meanwhile, a bundle of vine prunings is reduced to embers between two rows of bricks to make a rough barbecue. The pieces of eel are rubbed with coa.r.s.e grey sea salt, placed on an iron rack over the heat and grilled gently to golden brown. I don't think it is imagination to declare that eel grilled over vine prunings is the best way of all to cook it.

However, most of the Loir eels that are sold at market or to hoteliers will go into the richer, more elaborate dish of matelote. At least once every visit to Troo, we go to the Hotel de France at La Chartre-sur-le-Loir to eat Monsieur Pasteau's matelote, a dish that in the twenty-five years we have been eating it never varies in quality. According to books of local cookery, Monsieur Pasteau also grills eel and serves it with grilled mushrooms, smoked bacon and tomatoes, plus straw potatoes and sauce tartare: there is also a recipe for pieces of eel, well seasoned and lavishly b.u.t.tered, that are made into a pasty of puff pastry, in the style of an apple turnover.

These two dishes I have never seen on the menu, but I can vouch for the matelote which is stewed in red wine of the district, often with mushrooms from the old quarry caves that warren the low cliffs of the Loir. At Vouvray, on the great Loire, white wine is the natural choice. So it is at Saumur, and in Anjou where the dish is often called bouilleture de Loire bouilleture de Loire. There, too, prunes are used to set off the delicate flavour of eel. They were once produced in Touraine, at Huistnes in particular, but now come from Agen far to the south even (in small type, at the bottom corner of the packet) from California. It is surprising how well prunes go with river fish such as perch and lampreys they are browned in b.u.t.ter, sprinkled with flour and left to stew or bake for half an hour in wine, with soaked prunes. Eel, though, seems to demand a little extra grandeur.

Serves 81 kg (2 lb) eel, skinned and cut up34 tablespoons marc or or brandy brandy4 tablespoons oilsalt, freshly ground black pepper1 bottle white wine plus 1 large egg yolk and 90 ml (3 fl oz) double cream or or 1 bottle red wine plus 1 tablespoons plain flour and 2 tablespoons b.u.t.ter 1 bottle red wine plus 1 tablespoons plain flour and 2 tablespoons b.u.t.ter2 cloves garlic, crushed (optional)175 g (6 oz) chopped shallot or or onion onionwhite of 1 leek, chopped (optional)bouquet garni Also choose an appropriate garnish: LOIR.

2030 small glazed onions 2030 small b.u.t.ton mushrooms, cooked in b.u.t.ter triangles of bread fried in b.u.t.ter chopped parsley ANJOU.

as above, plus 25 large prunes quarters of hard-boiled egg (optional) VOUVRAY.

2030 small glazed onions strips of streaky green bacon, browned in b.u.t.ter 2030 small b.u.t.ton mushrooms, cooked in b.u.t.ter 25 large prunes (optional)

Turn the pieces of eel in the brandy and oil, season well and leave for several hours or overnight. At the same time, put the prunes, if used, to soak in half the bottle of wine.

A good hour before the meal, simmer the rest of the wine with garlic, if used, onion, leek and bouquet garni for half an hour. Arrange the eel and prunes, with any liquor from them, in a large pan, and strain the seasoned wine over them. The eel and prunes should be just covered. Stew gently for 2030 minutes until the eel is cooked. Meanwhile prepare the garnish.

To thicken the sauce: either mash b.u.t.ter and flour together, dividing the mixture into small lumps, then add them to the red wine stew gradually, stirring all the time so that the sauce thickens smoothly; or beat the egg yolk and cream, whisk in a little of the simmering white wine stew, and return to the cooking pot, which should be kept below the boil so that the sauce thickens without curdling.

Correct the seasoning, pour into a serving dish and arrange the garnish on top. With triangles of bread, dip one corner into the sauce, then into chopped parsley, and tuck the opposite corner into the stew.

MATELOTE D'ANGUILLE DE TANTE MARIE A recipe from the Vendomois that is really a good and homely dish. Things from the garden, onions and flageolet beans and Jerusalem artichokes, mushrooms from the quarry caves where they are grown in the cool darkness, and eel from the sluices on the many mill leats and streams that flow into the Loir, all speak of that genuine local cooking which varies from house to house according to what is to hand. The eel is almost always skinned, on account of its fattiness, but if you find this too difficult, give the pieces a quick browning over a high heat in a heavy greased pan before you put them into the sauce.

Serves 41 eel weighing about 600 g (1 lb), skinned, cut upsalt, pepper60 g (2 oz) unsalted b.u.t.ter1 level tablespoon plain flour300 ml (10 fl oz) water from cooking dried beans or peas or or vegetable stock vegetable stockbouquet garni12 medium-sized mushroomsabout 500 g (1 lb) Jerusalem artichokes, peeled, diced300 ml (10 fl oz) Gamay or other red wine12 small pickling onions.e.xtra b.u.t.tersprinkling of sugar Sprinkle the eel with salt and pepper and set aside. Melt the b.u.t.ter in a heavy pan, stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Moisten with vegetable water, add the bouquet, mushrooms and artichokes. When the artichokes are almost tender, pour in the wine.

In the meantime, brown the onions in the extra b.u.t.ter with a sprinkling of sugar to help them caramelize. Add them to the pan with the wine. Boil for 3 minutes, steadily, check the seasoning and put in the eel pieces. Lower the heat to a simmer and give the eel 20 minutes. If some of the pieces are thin, it is prudent to check after 15 minutes and remove them if the flesh is parting easily from the bones. Put them back just before serving.

Provide bread and more of the Gamay or other wine used in the cooking.

GUY MOUILLERON'S JELLIED EEL MOUSSE WITH WATERCRESS SAUCE When Guy Mouilleron left the Relais at the Cafe Royal to open his own restaurant, Ma Cuisine, in Walton Street in London, this was one of the most popular dishes on the menu. He gave me the recipe, which is a pattern for fish terrines of all kinds, and a base for elaborations of your own.

Serves 82 eels, weighing about 1 kg (2 lb) in all, skinned, filletedsalt, pepper, nutmeg3 egg whites500 ml (17 fl oz) double cream, well chilledSAUCE1 bunch or handful of watercress150 ml (5 fl oz) double cream, whippedsalt, pepper For the fish mousse, cut off 375 g (12 oz) of the messiest looking eel fillet. Season the rest and set it aside for the moment.

Chill the blender goblet or bowl of the processor in which you will be making the mousse. When it is thoroughly cold, set it in motion and drop on to the whirling blades the 375 g (12 oz) of eel fillet, lubricating the mixture with the egg whites. Chill the whole thing again, then put it back in place, switch on and pour in the cream. Season it well. You should have a rich white coherent billowy-looking mixture.

Take a stoneware or earthenware terrine respectable enough to appear on the table. Put in a layer of the mousse, then a layer of eel fillets that had been set aside. Repeat and then finish with a layer of the mousse. Cut b.u.t.ter papers to fit into the terrine, on top of the last layer of mousse, then cover the whole thing right over with foil.

Either steam the mousse for an hour or put it into a pan of boiling water to come halfway up the side and bake in a moderate oven, preheated to gas 4, 180 C (350 F) for the same time. Remove the terrine to a cool place, and when cold, chill overnight.

To make the sauce, remove enough leaves from the bunch of watercress to make a tablespoon when chopped. Blend or process the rest of the leaves with the minimum of water to make a murky slush. Sieve and add to the whipped cream. Season and fold in the leaves.

Serve the mousse in slices, cut from the terrine at the table, with a spoonful of the sauce. Provide brown bread to eat with it.

SEDGMOOR EEL STEW.

The landscape of Sedgmoor in Somerset is a medieval creation. Monks from such abbeys as Athelney and Glas...o...b..ry drained the marshes by digging long ca.n.a.ls known as rhines (p.r.o.nounced reens). A paradise for eels. Here is one local recipe, very simple and direct.

Allow 250 g (8 oz) of eel per person. Skin and cut it into appropriate pieces, discarding the heads as usual. Put the pieces into a shallow pan that will take them in a single layer a non-stick saute pan is ideal, or an enamelled pan. Cover with rough or dry cider. Simmer until tender at least 15 minutes. Remove the pieces to a serving dish, seasoning them and seasoning the liquor. Mash together 2 tablespoons each of b.u.t.ter and flour. Add this mixture bit by bit to the simmering liquid, until it thickens lightly (you may not need it all). Put in a great deal of chopped parsley. Check the seasoning and pour the sauce over the eel.

You can make this dish grander in various ways. Serve the eel on croutons of bread, as in Anguille au vert, p. 130 p. 130. Reduce the cooking liquor slightly and enrich it with clotted cream before adding the parsley this means you can do without the flour-and-b.u.t.ter mixture (beurre manie). But really this is a country dish: if you want something grander, I would go for the Anguille au vert and leave this recipe alone.

ELVERS see see EELS EELS.

FLAKE see see A FEW WORDS ABOUT... A FEW WORDS ABOUT... DOGFISH DOGFISH FLYING FISH see see A FEW WORDS ABOUT... A FEW WORDS ABOUT... FLYING FISH FLYING FISH FOGAS see see PERCH PERCH FRESHWATER CRAYFISH see see A FEW WORDS ABOUT .. A FEW WORDS ABOUT .. FRESHWATER CRAYFISH FRESHWATER CRAYFISH GARFISH see see A FEW WORDS ABOUT... A FEW WORDS ABOUT... GARFISH GARFISH GRAYLING see see TROUT TROUT

GREY MULLET Mugil cephalus and spp. and spp.

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There are about 100 species of mullet spread about the warm and temperate seas of the world, a fact which may surprise you in view of their comparative scarcity at the fishmongers'. In the eastern Mediterranean, though, and in the Black and Caspian Seas, they are abundant enough to provide roes for Taramasalata (p. 530), and that piquant substance known as Botargo (p. 529), once prized by Rabelais and Pepys as a stimulus to thirst, but now difficult to find in northern Europe.

Our grey mullet is likely to come from the sea off Cornwall and the west of England during the summer and autumn months. The fish move in shoals, sometimes coming right into estuaries and ports where the brackish polluted water may give them a muddy taste. I have never experienced this with grey mullet, but if you have reason to think they have been caught in such places, wash them in several changes of salted, vinegared water.

Grey mullet, also known as striped mullet in North America and black mullet in Florida, looks a little like sea ba.s.s, silvery in colour, but clouded and pointed with dark grey. A svelte creature. The flesh is reasonably firm and delicate, the price reasonable. Its success depends on its freshness. Elsewhere in the world, the different species do not have the same muddy inclination and the fish is better thought of.

In Senegal, the cooks of Saint-Louis prepare a complexity of stuffed mullet. The fish is slit down the back, the flesh and innards carefully prised from the skin. The edible parts are chopped and mixed with breadcrumbs, tomato, garlic, parsley and chilli, then packed back into the skin, which is sewn together. The resurrected fish lies on a bed of tomato, fried potato, cooked carrot and turnip for baking. A tricky operation of a kind I am never tempted to perform.

The ways of Hawaii seem to me more sympathetic. There, mullet amaama amaama may simply be steamed until half done, then gently finished in coconut milk. Or it may be made into little parcels and baked, may simply be steamed until half done, then gently finished in coconut milk. Or it may be made into little parcels and baked, see see below. I have a weakness, too, for the Green Fisherman's recipe from below. I have a weakness, too, for the Green Fisherman's recipe from Pinocchio Pinocchio. He floured mullet and flung it into a huge frying pan of olive oil which smelt like newly-snuffed candles. It was part of a Fritto misto, which also included red mullet, hake, sole, anchovies and spider crabs and nearly included Pinocchio, too all freshly caught, straight from the sea. How good it must have tasted, absolutely delicious. It improves most fish to be fried in olive oil, I would say.

Another way is to grill mullet. Larger ones can be boned and cut into pieces and strung on skewers with bits of fat bacon and bay leaves, for cooking en brochette. Small ones can be grilled whole after being scaled, cleaned and slashed three times on each side. Brush them with oil or clarified b.u.t.ter*, and serve them with a tomato sauce*, or hollandaise and its derivatives*. Or with sauce andalouse*, which may sound a little old-fas.h.i.+oned with its veloute base, but which goes well with mullet of all kinds.

My own feeling is that grey mullet is best cold, since it has a chance to lose any hint of pappiness and firm up. Plainly baked or steamed or poached, it goes well with mayonnaise. And the cold Provencal olive treatment p. 143 p. 143 is a winner. is a winner.

HOW TO PREPARE MULLET.

Scale the mullet carefully. Both roe and liver are worth saving, and many people treasure the extraordinary length of gut compressed into the cavity over 2 m (6 ft) for a fish weighing 500 g (1 lb).

BAKED MULLET PARCELS (Lawalu amaama) To make this Hawaiian dish as it should be, you need leaves from that Scrabbler's G.o.dsend, the ti tree, otherwise known as the tree of kings or the good luck tree. For each little parcel you need one leaf, split into two longways. The first piece is wrapped round the bits of fish in one direction, the second at right angles to it. The whole thing can then be tied up neatly with a bit of raffia.

In our less exotic situation, the long green husks that enclosed a head of sweetcorn may be used, or a homely square of foil. I am sure that something is lost, perhaps the ti leaf has as much to contribute by way of flavour as a vine leaf, but the result is genial all the same.

Serves 42 mullet, each weighing at least 500 g (1 lb)4 rashers of unsmoked streaky bacon4 bay leaves, split in 28 very thin slices of onion1 small green pepper, seededsalt, pepper Slice each fish across into 4 pieces about 5 cm (2 inches) long. Keep the wrapping in mind if you are using leaves or husks you may need to adjust the size of the slices. Discard the heads and thin tail end, putting them into the freezer stock bag.

Cut a piece of bacon to go on top of each slice, then arrange the bay leaves, onion and a neat strip of green pepper on top (you will not need all the pepper). Season as you go, remembering the saltiness of the bacon. Tie up the parcels.

You can put the parcels into a baking dish with a thin layer of water in the base, and give them about 20 minutes in a hot oven preheated to gas 78, 220230C (425450 F). Or you can steam them for 30 minutes until the contents of the parcels feel firm. It is wise to have an extra trial parcel as a tester, if you are not used to steaming.

BAKED GREY MULLET WITH JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES AND BLACK OLIVES.

One of the discoveries of modern cooking presumably in the wake of the new interest in Mediterranean eating has been how well fish goes with certain vegetables. I was brought up to think that only a few potatoes were permissible with fish. But then with a northern diet the alternative vegetables, in wintertime at least, would have been cabbage or turnip or swede which were far too strong, watery and unb.u.t.tered to do anything but overwhelm the excellent fresh cod and haddock. This particular combination was a happy accident: I have repeated it since with red mullet and various breams. It works with cod, but would be overwhelming with the more delicate white fish.

Serves 462 large grey mullet, weighing at least 500 g (1 lb) eachsalt, pepper1 kg (2 lb) Jerusalem artichokes2 tablespoons b.u.t.ter2 tablespoons olive oil1 large tomato, skinned, seeded, chopped1 bunch spring onions, about 10, sliced250 ml (8 fl oz) medium-dry white wine, e.g. Vouvrayabout 18 small black olives Clean the mullet and season the cavities. Set aside. Peel and dice the artichokes this should give you about 750 g (1 lb), in other words you will lose about a quarter of their weight, though some varieties are smoother and less k.n.o.bbly these days.

Switch on the oven to gas 7, 220C (425F).

In a saute pan, heat the b.u.t.ter and oil and stew the tomato briefly. Setting aside a little of their green part for a final garnish, put the rest of the spring onions into the pan with the artichokes and the wine. Stir everything well, cover and stew gently until the artichokes are tender. If the mixture begins to look watery, remove the lid and raise the heat: you need to have the whole thing as dry as possible without allowing it to catch. Sieve or put through the coa.r.s.e plate of a vegetable mill. Check for seasoning and spread into a baking dish. Put the mullet on top and bake for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile cook the olives briefly in boiling water. Dot them around the fish, check on its state and give it another 5 minutes in the oven or longer, until cooked. Scatter with the onion green that you set aside, and serve with bread.

GREY MULLET WITH OLIVES (Mulet aux olives) In Provence in the past, and in some families still, Christmas begins on 24 December, the eve of the festival, with the Gros Souper Gros Souper or Big Supper. It is full of symbolism and mystery. First there is the business of the yule log, which has to be cut from a fruit-bearing tree. It must also be large enough to burn for three nights and days. The oldest and youngest members of the party carry it at either end, and with the family make a procession three times round the room before laying it on the hearth. The grandfather sprinkles the log with or Big Supper. It is full of symbolism and mystery. First there is the business of the yule log, which has to be cut from a fruit-bearing tree. It must also be large enough to burn for three nights and days. The oldest and youngest members of the party carry it at either end, and with the family make a procession three times round the room before laying it on the hearth. The grandfather sprinkles the log with vin cuit vin cuit, blessing it in the name of the Trinity. Then he lights it, and with the youngest grandchild says 'Cacho-fio, bouto-fio, Dieu nous allegre', a blend of Provencal and French meaning 'Let the log burn, G.o.d brings us happiness'. And everyone sits down to supper.

No meat, game or poultry is served as everyone will be going off to Midnight Ma.s.s and it is still Advent. The table is covered with three cloths and three candles burn, for the Trinity. At one end of the table is a bowl of green sprouting wheat, at the other sprouting lentils: the seeds were sown on 4 December, St Barbara's Day. Twelve rolls for the twelve Apostles and a large loaf for Christ are marked with the cross before anyone eats them. And seven dishes are served for the seven wounds of Christ on the cross. They are made from vegetables, eggs and fish one of them will be mullet with olives, another with salt cod with raita. There will be anchoiade (p. 54) with celery and cardoons with an anchovy sauce (p. 49). As far as the mullet is concerned, there are a number of variations you can make to the basic recipe, and I recommend that you eat it cold.

Once the seven dishes have been dispatched, and a salad of curly endive to remind us of the curly head of the Infant Jesus, the thirteen desserts are put on the table so that people can chat and nibble away until it is time to leave for the church. But that is another story.

Serves 41 kg (2 lb) grey mulletsalt, pepper1 small handful of parsley leaves2 large cloves garlic3 tablespoons olive oilseasoned flourjuice of 1 large lemon or or 4 tablespoons dry white wine 4 tablespoons dry white wine2 bay leaves125 g (4 oz) mixed black and green olives, blanched for 34 minutes in boiling waterslices of lemon or orange to decorate Preheat the oven to gas 7, 220C (425F).

Season the cavity of the mullet. Chop parsley and garlic together. Heat the oil in a shallow, flameproof baking dish that will hold the mullet comfortably, and cook the parsley mixture for about 3 minutes over a low heat.

Turn the fish in the flour, shaking off any excess, and put it into the oil. After a few seconds, turn it over. Add the lemon juice or white wine, bay leaves, olives and 200 ml (7 fl oz) of water. Season and simmer 5 minutes, then put into the oven.

Allow 10 minutes for 2 mullet, 15 minutes for 1 large one. Baste once.

When the fish is just cooked it is particularly important to avoid overcooking if the mullet is to be eaten cold, since it will cook a little more in its own heat remove it from the oven and pour off the juice into a shallow pan through a strainer. Boil it down steadily to a good flavour: it should be quite sharp, but pleasantly so. Pour over the fish, adding any debris of parsley and olives from the strainer. If the bay leaves look f.a.gged out, discard them, and add a couple of fresh ones.

TO EAT HOT Serve immediately with plenty of bread and dry white wine, and slices of lemon or orange ranged neatly down the mullet. Serve immediately with plenty of bread and dry white wine, and slices of lemon or orange ranged neatly down the mullet.

TO EAT COLD Leave to cool, turning the fish from time to time. Serve chilled, so that the juices have a chance to turn to a light parsley-flecked jelly. Decorate finally with a few slices of lemon or orange. Leave to cool, turning the fish from time to time. Serve chilled, so that the juices have a chance to turn to a light parsley-flecked jelly. Decorate finally with a few slices of lemon or orange.

MULLET BAKED WITH FENNEL AND PASTIS.

I used to cook mullet en papillote, but now feel that this treatment is only suitable for very firm fish. Baking in a hot oven works better.

Serves 66 mulletsalt, pepper3 heads of fennel, cut into strips, the leaves saved and chopped3 tablespoons pastis1 teaspoons thyme1 teaspoons fennel seedolive oillemon wedgesSTUFFINGroes and liver from the fish, if any or or 3 pairs herring roes, soft or hard 3 pairs herring roes, soft or hard6 tablespoons fine breadcrumbs1 teaspoon thyme1 teaspoons fennel seed3 tablespoons chopped shallot or or onion onion34 tablespoons b.u.t.tersalt, cayenne pepper Preheat the oven to gas 7, 220 C (425 F).

Season the mullet cavities with salt and pepper. Blanch the fennel strips in boiling salted water until they are almost tender. Mix the pastis with thyme and fennel seed, then add it to the drained fennel strips and put them into an oiled ovenproof baking dish.

For the stuffing, crush the roes and mix them with the breadcrumbs and most of the leaves saved from the fennel. Crush thyme and fennel seed in a mortar and add to the crumbs. Soften the shallot or onion slowly in the b.u.t.ter: when it is soft and yellowish, add to the crumbs. Stuff the mullet with this mixture season the mixture with salt and cayenne pepper first and put the fish on top of the fennel strips in the dish, head to tail. Brush them over with oil, season and bake in a hot oven, gas 7, 220 C (425 F). Test after 15 minutes. Be prepared to give them a little longer. Scatter with the last of the chopped fennel leaves and serve with lemon wedges.

MULLET IN CHARENTE STYLE (Meuille a la charentaise) The b.u.t.ter of the Charente is famous and it combines well with the vegetables that come from the neighbouring market gardens of the Marais, just to the north. I once read that Rabelais had introduced the tomato to France, sending seeds from Rome to his friend and master, the abbot of Maillezais, but I have never seen any real evidence that this was true although it is agreeable to sit by the abbey ruins on one of the Marais ca.n.a.ls and think about such things. Certainly tomatoes, garlic and onions now flourish in those parts all the good things of that favoured region come together in this recipe.

Serves 66 mullet, about 250 g (8 oz) eachsalt, pepper175 g (6 oz) b.u.t.ter6 cloves garlic, halvedleaves of 1 handful of parsley500 g (1 lb) tomatoes, skinned, seeded, chopped4 tablespoons dry white winecayenne pepper, sugar (see (see recipe recipe)3 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan Season the mullet cavities with salt and pepper. Preheat the oven to gas 6, 200 C (400 F).

Reduce two-thirds of the b.u.t.ter, the garlic and parsley to a crumbly chopped ma.s.s in the processor. Cook the tomatoes down to a puree in a shallow pan b.u.t.tered with a little of the remaining b.u.t.ter. Add the wine. Do not overcook you want to keep the freshness of the tomato flavour. Season with cayenne, and a pinch or two of sugar if the tomatoes are on the tasteless side.

Meanwhile, bake the mullet in a b.u.t.tered shallow dish for about 10 minutes. Pour over the very hot sauce, scatter with the Parmesan and put back into the oven until the mullet are cooked. About another 10 minutes.

GROUPERS see see SEA Ba.s.s SEA Ba.s.s GURNARD see see A FEW WORDS ABOUT... A FEW WORDS ABOUT... GURNARD GURNARD

HADDOCK Melanogrammus aeglefinus [image]

After cod comes the haddock at least in the way of popular consumption. And in some regions it is preferred to cod, for instance in the West Riding of Yorks.h.i.+re where fish and chips means haddock and chips. Alan Davidson points out that discriminating Icelanders also prefer haddock to cod. This makes me feel that they are offered a superior strain, or perhaps just a fresher fish. The haddock one gets here under the normal humdrum circ.u.mstances of life is, in my experience, an uninspiring if estimable acquaintance. Chances are that you buy it because sole or turbot or halibut are too dear, because it is there there on a thin day for choice and you cannot think of anything else. Faced with a fillet of haddock, the heart does not sing. on a thin day for choice and you cannot think of anything else. Faced with a fillet of haddock, the heart does not sing.

The tragic realities of fis.h.i.+ng cod that lie behind the history of New England and the western countries of Europe, that have stimulated great novels such as Pecheurs d'Islande Pecheurs d'Islande and and Captains Courageous Captains Courageous and a host of songs, are not so apparent in the matter of fis.h.i.+ng haddock. Perhaps it is something to do with the name. It has a jaunty, diminutive air like bullock or hillock that does not seem to have appealed to the poet's or novelist's ear. The haddock's main cultural achievement is to have become identified with St Peter, like the John Dory. After the Transfiguration, Jesus and St Peter arrived in Capernaum on the sh.o.r.es of Galilee, where the ruins of the synagogue of that time may still be seen. Immediately the local customs people were after them. Christ knew that being locals and not strangers they were not liable, but said precisely to St Peter, 'Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give it unto them for me and thee.' and a host of songs, are not so apparent in the matter of fis.h.i.+ng haddock. Perhaps it is something to do with the name. It has a jaunty, diminutive air like bullock or hillock that does not seem to have appealed to the poet's or novelist's ear. The haddock's main cultural achievement is to have become identified with St Peter, like the John Dory. After the Transfiguration, Jesus and St Peter arrived in Capernaum on the sh.o.r.es of Galilee, where the ruins of the synagogue of that time may still be seen. Immediately the local customs people were after them. Christ knew that being locals and not strangers they were not liable, but said precisely to St Peter, 'Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give it unto them for me and thee.'

The dark round marks behind the head, above the pectoral fins, are by legend the fingerprints of St Peter. The silly thing is that neither the haddock nor the John Dory could possibly have been the fish since they live in the sea, and the Sea of Galilee is a freshwater lake.

An interesting point about haddock is that being softer and smaller-flaked than cod, it is not as suitable for long-term drying and salting. Small haddocks, rizzered haddock, may be lightly salted and hung up to dry when the air is clear, to make a breakfast dish next day, but their particular virtues are best shown off by smoking. The fisherfolk of eastern Scotland developed a couple of famous cures for haddock. I do not know how long ago, but presumably in the eighteenth century, if not earlier: they became more widely known in the rest of the country and abroad in the nineteenth century as Finnan haddie or haddock and Arbroath smokies. These are two of the great delicacies, when properly done.

HOW TO BUY AND PREPARE HADDOCK.

As with cod, the finest part of the haddock is behind the head (which also has its pickings). As a change, instead of cooking a whole ba.s.s or salmon, why not buy a whole haddock of 11 kg (23 lb) ? You can then stuff and bake it in a hot oven, say at gas 7, 220 C (425 F), using a light mixture of breadcrumbs, herbs with a little green onion, perhaps some chopped mushrooms or hard-boiled egg and some lemon juice. Or you might poach it in very salty water, as if it were cod, see see p. 94 p. 94, and serve it with clear melted b.u.t.ter and fine shreds of grated horseradish, or with an hollandaise sauce*. Freshness is the key to success.

As with so many others of the cod family, pre-salting is a surprising improvement. You might go further by salting it liberally and leaving it for twenty-four hours; it will then need rinsing before you cook it. We had home-salted fish once at Joigny, at the Lorains' a La Cote St Jacques, with very young, neat root vegetables simple and good.

ESCOFFIER'S GRATIN OF HADDOCK WITH COURGETTES I was idling through Escoffier's Guide Culinaire Guide Culinaire one day, enjoying the nomenclature of kings and princesses, archdukes, admirals and opera stars, one day, enjoying the nomenclature of kings and princesses, archdukes, admirals and opera stars, les grandes horizontales les grandes horizontales and the smart resorts they adorned, the characters and places of history which give such a picture of that age and its more frivolous preoccupations, when the words 'earthenware dish' caught my eye. The Empress Eugenie or the American soprano Mary Garden may be honoured in porcelain and crystal dishes, what has earthenware to do with Escoffier? It appeared in a trim little recipe, very direct, after a dish dedicated to the Great Conde in which sole fillets covered with a white wine sauce were picked out with lines of b.u.t.tered tomato puree and decorated like s.h.i.+elds with crosses piped in the same puree (perhaps this was the device of that famous soldier?). The earthenware dish recipe was also for sole, but I find it most useful for the many more times I have haddock to cook, and other less glorious fish of the cod family. It must entirely have reminded Escoffier of the implicities of his childhood in Provence. and the smart resorts they adorned, the characters and places of history which give such a picture of that age and its more frivolous preoccupations, when the words 'earthenware dish' caught my eye. The Empress Eugenie or the American soprano Mary Garden may be honoured in porcelain and crystal dishes, what has earthenware to do with Escoffier? It appeared in a trim little recipe, very direct, after a dish dedicated to the Great Conde in which sole fillets covered with a white wine sauce were picked out with lines of b.u.t.tered tomato puree and decorated like s.h.i.+elds with crosses piped in the same puree (perhaps this was the device of that famous soldier?). The earthenware dish recipe was also for sole, but I find it most useful for the many more times I have haddock to cook, and other less glorious fish of the cod family. It must entirely have reminded Escoffier of the implicities of his childhood in Provence.

Choose an earthenware dish that will just accommodate in a single layer the number of haddock fillets you are intending to cook. b.u.t.ter it, put in the fish, skin side down, and season. Set aside for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to gas 56, 190200 C (375400 F).

Peel and slice enough young courgettes to make a single layer on top of the fish. b.u.t.ter a saute pan and put in the slices with 23 fine ripe tomatoes that have been skinned, seeded and roughly chopped. You need enough to make a light moistness. Add a few drops of lemon and some seasoning. Cook gently until almost done. When you turn the slices, add 23 sprigs of basil.

Spread the courgettes over the fish evenly. Sprinkle with a layer of crumbs from day-old bread. Bake for upwards of 15 minutes time will depend on the thickness of the fish 'so as to cook the fillets and brown the crumbs at the same time. Serve in the dish just as it is.'

GREEN FISH SOUP.

A most attractive and unusual soup that demands no particular local genius of a fishmonger or greengrocer. Anyone could make it, I would say, anywhere above or below the tropics. Something of a relief to the writer of a fish cookery book. One spends so much time trying to come by a few squid or an ambulant crab or prawns that are not weighed down with icy jackets. For this original soup made from such unoriginal ingredients, we have to thank Marion Jones of the Croque-en-bouche restaurant in Malvern. She is a cook of verve and ingenuity.

Serves 81 medium onion, thinly sliced1 small leek, thinly sliced2 tablespoons b.u.t.ter3 tablespoons plain flour1 litre (1 pt) fish stock, flavoured with fennelsalt, pepper, nutmeg500 g (1 lb) skinned fillet of haddock, whiting, hake or or ling, cut up ling, cut up375 g (12 oz) sprouting broccoli or or Calabrese, prepared weight Calabrese, prepared weightabout 6 tablespoons single cream (optional) Sweat onion and leek in the b.u.t.ter until soft, without colouring them. Stir in the flour, cook gently for a few minutes, then stir in half the stock. Simmer for 10 minutes. Season the liquid and add the fish. Cook for 1 minute and leave to cool down. Blend at top speed, or process and sieve until very smooth.

Meanwhile, chop all the broccoli or Calabrese except for a few flowering heads to use as garnish. Cook in enough salted water to cover, resting the heads on top so that they steam; do not put the lid on the pan. Remove the heads carefully and set aside. Sieve the rest of the contents of the pan into the soup, liquor included. Or use the blender. Dilute further to taste with the remaining fish stock and, if necessary, a little extra water.

Reheat carefully, check the seasoning and stir in the cream, if used. Float the broccoli or Calabrese heads on top.

GRILLED HADDOCK WITH LIME AND GINGER b.u.t.tER.

When you experiment with fish and unaccustomed spices and flavourings, you can minimize possible disaster by grilling it plainly and then blending the new items into a flavoured b.u.t.ter. Not that I antic.i.p.ate anyone would dislike haddock with lime and ginger b.u.t.ter, which is a delicate combination, lovely to look at since lime zest gives a general pale green tone, speckled with flecks of green onion. The ginger is the mystery.

Serves 22 fillets of haddock, each weighing 250 g (8 oz)salt, pepper2 limes125 g (4 oz) unsalted or Lurpak b.u.t.terpeeled slice of ginger, 1 cm ( inch) deep23 teaspoons chopped onion green or or chives chivessunflower or or groundnut oil groundnut oila little melted b.u.t.ter, extra onion green or chives Put the haddock on a dish, skin side down. Sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Remove the zest of the limes with a zester or fine grater and put it into the processor or blender. Squeeze the juice of one lime over the fish and set it to one side. Squeeze the juice of the second lime into the processor or blender. Add the b.u.t.ter, cut up, and grate or chop in the ginger. Whizz to a cream, then add the onion green or chives to taste and salt. Sc.r.a.pe out the b.u.t.ter into a pot. You could chill it and cut it into neat slices, if you prefer.

Just before the meal, preheat the grill. Slip a metal serving dish underneath prior to cooking.