Starting at the head end of the fish and keeping the point of the knife close to the bone, carefully slice the fillet away from the bone, angling the knife towards the bone as you cut down to the tail, then lift off the fillet.
4. Cut away the other fillet and then turn the fish over and repeat the process. Retain the carcass (but not the head) for making stock.
5. To remove the skin, lay a fillet skin side down with the tail end facing you. Holding the tip of the tail with your fingers and angling the knife down towards the skin, start to cut the flesh away from the skin.
6. Keeping a tight hold of the skin and using the knife in a sawing motion, continue to cut, keeping the knife at the same angle and cutting as close to the skin as possible until all the skin has been removed. Repeat with the remaining fillets.
Fish pâté is so easy to make – simply add cream and lemon to the picked meat and serve alongside warm toast for a great meal. I’ve made this one with Arbroath Smokies, but it can also be made from smoked mackerel.
SERVES 4
2 Arbroath Smokies or cooked kippers, skin and bones removed
Juice of 2 lemons 150ml (5fl oz) double cream
25g (1oz) chives, finely chopped
Sea salt and black pepper
FOUR 250ML (9FL OZ) RAMEKINS OR LITTLE POTS
1. Place the fish flesh in a blender and briefly pulse, then add the lemon juice and the double cream and purée to the desired consistency. (Don’t leave the machine running for too long, however, or the cream may split.)
2. Transfer the pâté to a bowl, add the chives and season well. Divide between the ramekins or little pots and smooth over the surface. (If making these the day before, it is best to spread a little softened butter over the top of each one before refrigerating.)
3. Serve with warm slices of brown bread and a little dressed watercress on the side.
‘At the end of a long day a good chef might think about giving it all up and doing something else. Next morning he’d be marvelling at a sleek, silver, line-caught bass or sniffing a big bunch of basil or thinking how he was going to sear those scallops and serve them with Iberico ham and lentils for lunch. It’s not a perfect job, but what is?!’
RICK STEIN
BAKED ARBROATH SMOKIES WITH LEMON AND PARSLEY BUTTER
I first tried these little fellas at a Scottish coastal market. The Smokies are cleaned and marinated overnight in salted brine, then hot-smoked over a hardwood fire covered with wet sacks to stop the wood catching alight. They are a true delight served with butter. You need to get to the market early if you want one, as word gets around that they’re cooking and people follow the smoke like zombies. To beat the queue, you can buy them online. Iain R Spinks is the best supplier I know, give him a bell and you won’t be disappointed.
SERVES 4
4 Arbroath Smokies
2 lemons, cut into wedges, to serve
FOR THE LEMON AND PARSLEY BUTTER
250g (9oz) unsalted butter, softened
Juice and grated zest of 3 lemons
3 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
Sea salt and black pepper
1. Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F), Gas 7, and cut out four 30cm (12in) squares of greaseproof paper and four of newspaper.
2. In a bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the lemon and parsley butter, seasoning the mixture with 2 teaspoons of salt and some pepper.
3. Place a greaseproof paper square on top of a square of newspaper. Put a fish in the centre of the greaseproof square, then spread a quarter of the lemon and parsley butter over the sides of the fish and fill the cavity.
4. Fold in the edges of the paper, roll into a parcel and tie up with string. Repeat the process with the other 3 fish and place them on a baking tray. (At this stage you could place them in the fridge for 6–8 hours or until you need them.)
5. Before cooking, sprinkle the parcels with a little water and then bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve whole at the table with the lemon wedges and some slices of brown bread and butter.
SESAME TIGER PRAWNS WITH SPICED CUCUMBER AND CORIANDER SALAD
This is such a simple dish, which uses pre-cooked tiger prawns and can be served hot or cold. There has been a lot of bad press about tiger prawns over the years and the exploitation of farmers in countries like Vietnam where there are produced. The prawns will say on the packet where they are from, so my advice is to look for Madagascan prawns, as they have a better history in sustainable prawn farming. Ones from Ecuador are fine too, and this is the only country where they are certified organic.
SERVES 4
100g (3½oz) sesame seeds
3 tbsp English mustard
24 tiger prawns, peeled and heads removed
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely diced
50g (2oz) pickled ginger with some of its juice
Grated zest and juice of 2 limes
5 tbsp olive oil
1 cucumber, peeled
25g (1oz) unsalted butter
1 frisée lettuce
Leaves from 25g (1oz) bunch of coriander
1. Spread the sesame seeds out on a plate and spoon the mustard into a bowl, then roll the tiger prawns first in the mustard and then in the sesame seeds, making sure that they are well coated, and set aside.
2. Place the chilli in a large bowl, then add the ginger and its juice, the lime zest and juice and 4 tablespoons of the olive oil and mix together well. Using a potato peeler, peel the cucumber into strips. (Don’t peel all the way down to the seeds – the core can be discarded.) Add the cucumber strips to the chilli mixture, then toss all the ingredients together.
3. Place a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat, add the remaining olive oil and the prawns, frying these on each side for about 3 minutes or until golden brown. Add the butter and remove from the heat.
4. Break up the frisée lettuce and add the leaves to the cucumber salad along with the coriander, toss together and divide between plates. Place 6 prawns on each plate, then spoon over some of the chilli and lime dressing and serve.
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