FISH COOKERY

Emily Scott (Host chef of the 2021 G7 Summit) has kindly shared a look at two of her most beloved seasonal fish recipes from her debut cookbook, Sea & Shore. These recipes use freshly caught Port Isaac mackerel with homegrown Nasturtium flowers and the deliciously robust and wonderful monkfish.


SEA & SHORE: Recipes and stories from a kitchen in Cornwall by Emily Scott (Hardie Grant, £26) Photography: Kim Lightbody


MONKFISH, CORNISH CHORIZO AND SUN BLUSH TOMATOES ON ROSEMARY SKEWERS

Here, the combination of monkfish, chorizo and sun blush tomatoes is delicious. Threading them on to rosemary skewers is pretty and adds a depth of flavour to the fish.

SERVES 8

INGREDIENTS

•​​ 1 x 200 g (7 oz) jar sun blush tomatoes,
drained, reserving the oil
•​​ 1 Medium chorizo, about 225 g (8 oz), cut into
1 cm (1/2 in) rounds
•​​ 650 g (1 lb 7 oz) monkfish fillet, cut into chunks
•​​ 12 Long rosemary sprigs, plus extra leaves
for sprinkling
•​​ 100 ml (31/2 fl oz/scant 1/2 cup) olive oil
•​​ Cornish sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

TO SERVE
•​ Handful of rocket (arugula) leaves
•​​ Hot buttered Cornish new potatoes
•​​ Mixed leaf salad with edible flowers


Preheat a barbecue or grill (broiler) to high.

Place the sun blush tomatoes in a large bowl and add the sliced chorizo. Using a skewer, pierce a hole through each piece of monkish, then toss in the bowl with the tomatoes and chorizo.

Thread alternately onto rosemary skewers, allowing 3 pieces of each ingredient on each skewer.

Barbecue or grill (broil) the monkfish skewers on all sides, keeping them moving, for a total of 6 minutes, or until browned at the edges. Drizzle with with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper and rosemary leaves.

Lay the grilled monkfish skewers on rocket leaves and serve with hot buttered Cornish new potatoes and a kitchen leaf salad with summer flowers.

 


PORT ISAAC MACKEREL WITH A RAW SALAD OF COURGETTES, CHILLI, NASTURTIUM FLOWERS AND ROCKET

NASTURTIUMS are great fun to grow. This year, I planted them from
seed and have watched with delight as they have grown and flourished.
Beautiful, round green leaves and then, as if by magic, a pop of colour
from the orange and bright red flowers. I love making nasturtium
butter with the flowers: 150 g (5 oz) softened unsalted butter and
50 g (2 oz) finely chopped nasturtium flowers, gently mixed together
with a pinch of sea salt and black pepper and a squeeze of lemon. Roll
in cling film (plastic wrap) and chill or put into a small bowl to serve with
potatoes or chicken or fish.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

•​​ 1 courgette (zucchini), cut into ribbons
•​​ 1 fresh red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
•​​ 2 lemons: zest and juice of 1; 1 thinly sliced
•​​ 4 whole mackerel, gutted, cleaned and scaled
•​​ a few sprigs of rosemary
•​​ Olive oil, for drizzling
•​ 100 g (31/2 oz) rocket (arugula) leaves
•​​ 6 nasturtium flowers
•​​ Cornish sea salt and freshly ground black pepper


Preheat the grill (broiler) to high.

Place the ribbons of courgette into a bowl, add the chopped chilli and lemon zest, season with sea salt, and set aside.

Season the cavity of each fish and fill with rosemary sprigs and lemon slices. Rub the skin with a little oil, salt and pepper. Grill (broil) for about 6 minutes on each side, turning occasionally, until the skin is crisp and charred and the flesh is opaque.

Add the rocket leaves to the courgette salad, drizzle with olive oil and a squeeze or two of lemon juice.

Gently tear the nasturtiums through the salad and toss to combine.

Place the whole mackerel on a plate with the courgette salad.

This recipe can also be cooked outside on the barbecue or baked in the oven for 10 minutes at 180°C (160°C fan/350°F/Gas 4).


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FURTHER READING

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