I do try to keep to tradition, and eat fish on Fridays. If I didn't I probably wouldn't eat fish at all.
For lunch it was Moules Mariniere (borrowed picture above). I bought a 1.4 Kilo vacuum pack of live Dutch Mussels which were very good.
And in the evening a very simple salad with some absolutely delicious Prawns (my picture).
My supermarket has PILES of fresh Prawns every day; especially on Fridays. They are cheap, delicious, and popular. I cannot understand why they aren't sold like this in the UK. The Prawns quite possibly come from UK waters anyway!!!
We do 'FISH' very badly in the UK. Our consumption is almost limited to Fish-n-Chips, or Fish Fingers. I live by the sea in England, yet where can I buy a really good selection of fresh fish?
Where's Mr MacFisheries when you need him?
That all looks and sounds delicious. Mussel fritters here last night - New Zealand Green Lipped Mussels bought live at the supermarket.
ReplyDeleteI do remember having some 'tinned' ones once, but I doubt if they tasted anything like the fresh ones!
DeleteI don't understand why, recently, you have been so down on England. Let me assure you that the English don't "do fish very badly".
ReplyDeleteThere is plenty of fresh fish on sale - straight from the boat. One google, and what do you know, even in Brighton. Of course you need to know how to handle fish; a whole fish - magnificently served at table, head and tail on. Which is why I am rather surprised that you don't since you seem to be fond of Rick Stein. If ever there was one to enthuse over fish. And rightly so.
Wild sea bass (gold standard in this household), bream, skate wings, monkfish, glistening sardines (coming into season now) you name it - it's on this island's fishmongers' slab. And what a joy it is.
U
Well all I can say is "Lucky you". In Brighton we have one very small fish stall down on the beach, but his selection of fish is rubbish.
DeleteMussels in wine and mustard sauce is my favourite. My greek son in law makes a superb dish. And prawns in a fresh tomato sauce with melted feta. Very good too.
ReplyDeleteWe still eat quite a lot of fish because husband's fishermen friends are generous. I much prefer filleted bit others want the whole lot
I love fish, but in the UK I restrict myself to Salmon, Fish fingers, and tinned Tuna. There simply aren't any good fishmongers around.
DeleteWe have an excellent fishmongers shop here in town with a wonderful variety of everything piscine laid out on beds of ice. Not cheap though.
ReplyDeleteI'm rather limited in my shopping venues to either Waitrose or Sainsbury's, and both are very poor!
Deletemy favourite is smoked haddock fillets, with a poached egg on top. Husband hates it when I cook it, says it stinks the place out for 2 days....true. We have 3 excellent fishmongers in town. All looks so nice on a bed of ice.
ReplyDeleteTHREE fishmongers???? No wonder we don't have any down in Sussex; they're all up in Derbyshire!
DeleteBaileys has been in " Lock up Yard" ( old police cells) just off Cornmarket for years.They have been in business for 100 years. The other 2 are newcomers. lol.
DeleteBest places to buy fresh fish in Sheffield are "Silver Hill Fisheries" and The Moor Market... but you are right - the majority of English people feel quite jittery about fish unless it is battered and fried at a fish and chip shop.
ReplyDeleteIt does seem to be a serious problem, hence all our wonderful fish being sold to foreigners who appreciate such things.
DeleteWe are not far from Hastings which still has an off shore fishing fleet and really good fishmongers selling the catches of the day by the beach. We have to get there early but really delicious amazingly fresh fish. I buy whatever looks good. I agree most English folk don't have much imagination regarding fish other than cod and chips. The prawns look wonderful. Regards Sue H
ReplyDeleteI used to live in Worthing where there was one fisherman who sold his catch on the beach. He mostly caught small Plaice that were sold very cheaply, and were delicious.
DeleteWhat a coincidence - this morning I bought Langostines, a salmon fillet and hake - all fresh - from the fish section of my local supermarket.There were some tempting mussels too, but far too many in a pack for just me. My town has a harbour and the fleet fish daily (or overnight), selling the catch in the fish market on the quay, so there are a lot of good fish restaurants around.
ReplyDeleteIn the UK we lived in the Midlands - as far from the sea as you could get, but used a company called Regal Fish. They guaranteed same day delivery of freshly caught fish from Whitby (I think), which was delivered in the afternoon or evening. We used them regularly for some years and were never disappointed. No idea if they are still in business after all these years, but Mr Google is bound to know!
Hake is one of my favourites. I used to buy it frozen, in big lumps. But they don't seem to have it any more. Otherwise I buy baby Squid, Whelks, Sardines, etc. My taste is quite 'English'.
DeleteMuch of the western world has lost the practice of eating locally.
ReplyDeleteMy late next-door-neighbour cut down all his wonderful Apple trees, and presumably later bought his Apples at the supermarket.
DeleteFresh fish cooked well is always appreciated. It is a meal once or twice every week at my house. We do not have prawns in the US. The equivalent would likely be shrimp.
ReplyDeleteThey're just BIG shrimps. Very meaty and delicious. I take off the head and the tail tip, and eat the rest.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI don't wish to sound pedantic, but for me anything that comes from the sea is 'fish'. Food poisoning from crustaceans can be HORRIBLE, but one should never let one be put-off!!! Dive in again, and be cured.
DeleteHow are the mussels still live if they are vacuum packed? I'm feeling a bit dim here.
ReplyDelete