SOMETHING FISHY

Compared to many other countries, Britain does not have truly extensive fauna of mammals, insects, reptiles or birds but the waters surrounding her are rich in the most delicious fish and sea creatures. The other animal kingdoms can be a pest, just think of moles, midges, snakes and crows while fish are generally inoffensive, with the possible exception of sharks and piranhas, not much seen in British waters.

I was brought up in the leading Scottish fishing port of Aberdeen although since the advent of North Sea Oil that honour has now passed to Peterhead. The fish market abounded with the riches of the North Sea and the North Atlantic - mainly whitefish like cod, lemon sole and haddock, but also magnificent halibut and the once ubiquitous herring. We ate fish constantly – my dear Mother fried lemon sole to delicate perfection and toothsome halibut steaks were a special treat.

The Old Aberdeen Fish market

My own tastes were and remain more plebeian. I adore fish and chips, that staple of British life, and will usually prefer haddock over cod. The haddock is so tasty and versatile, a prince among fish, crisply fried through to its scrumptious white flesh (tartar sauce a must) but also used for milky Arbroath smokies, startling omelette Arnold Bennett and that wonderful Scots fish soup Cullen Skink.

Haddock, a Prince of Fish

Herring have been sadly over-fished and are much less eaten fresh in oatmeal than once they were: but in their smoked form as kippers they hugely enhance any breakfast, just the thing to send strong aromas round the house and to set you up for the manifold challenges of the day!

A tasty grilled Kipper

Freshwater fish are another glory of Britain. I used to angle for trout, rather incompetently, and I sometimes caught a fat brown trout - a delightful feast fresh baked in butter in the oven. Even better were the occasional sea trout, venturing up river, whose delicate  pink flesh slid  off your fork and maddened the taste-buds. The King of all river fish must be the noble salmon, sleek and powerful, whose flesh poached or grilled is a gastronomic wonder and slices of smoked salmon lend distinction to any gathering

An Atlantic Salmon leaping - one of Nature's great sights

You may think I am somewhat undiscerning in my love of fish and it is true that there are few fish I positively disparage. I cannot share the enthusiasm of some English regions for soggy plaice and hake and I am not a fan of that bony East End speciality jellied eels (sorry, Tubby Isaac). – although Hamburg’s eel-soup is rather fine.

  Progressing down the food chain from eels takes us to “seafood” the crustaceans and hidden delicacies for which Britain is justly renowned. You may be sitting in a mega-expensive Parisian restaurant but the chances are the fabulous lobster thermidor you are wolfing down came from a modest Scots lobster-pot.

A Lobster awaiting the shell-crackers

 All round the long coast of Britain seafood flourishes, juicy mussels galore, scallops (seared scallops a great favourite of my lovely wife, an ambrosial mouthful), crabs famously from Cromer, wonderful Cornish langoustines, prawns (and Dover sole and turbot) made famous by master-chef Rick Stein at Padstow.

There are dozens of other British fish I have not mentioned but I make no apology for blowing the trumpet for the delights of cold Northern waters. In contrast the Mediterranean is less abundant and hard-won fish are often amazingly expensive. Although there are delectable fish in the Med they tend to have a multitude of bones, deterring many diners. In Greece I happily consume quantities of squid (kalamares) and octopus. Oddly octopus has to be tenderised by smacking it hard on a rock and then washed down, being left to hang out in the sun on a washing line, usually attracting plenty of wasps – but certainly delicious grilled in lemon and oil.

In my local taverna in Samos my staple is the Greek version of sole and chips (confusingly sole is glossa –tongue).with a hearty green salad and a half-litre of the local cold draught wine. Pretty good, but my thoughts often stray to the likes of Harry Ramsden whose fish and chips were legendary or to a little boat house on Ulva off the coast of Mull where natural oysters were dispensed, the stuff of dreams.

Classic British Fish and Chips

Scots Oysters to die for

SMD

5.04.13

Text Copyright © Sidney Donald 2013