Seafood Recipes

by The Guyrope Gourmet - Visit the Website

This is a recipe given to me by my pal Glyn. I was dining at Fish! In Borough Market in London a couple of years back, and via the waiter, I asked if the chef would be so kind as to knock me up some mussels using the following recipe. He did, he also came out to our table and informed me that it was so good he’d like to put it on the menu! By all means, said I. I don’t think I paid for the wine that night.


Ingredients (feeds four):

1kg Fresh Mussels
1 Bunch of fresh coriander
1 small red onion
2 tbsp Olive oil
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
1 small ‘stubby’ of lager (33cl)
Milled black pepper & flaked sea salt.

I find that this works well in a wok, failing that, any large stockpot will do! Mussels should be easy to find if you’re camping in Scotland, or near the coast. Scrape, wash and de-beard the mussels, discarding any open ones that don’t close when tapped with a knife (as the mussel is already dead). Finely chop the onion and soften in olive oil over a moderate heat. Add the washed mussels and the chopped tomatoes and give it a stir. Add the seasoning and pour in the beer. Place a lid on the pot and let it simmer for three or four minutes (depending on how well cooked you like the mussels). Meanwhile, chop a good handful of fresh coriander. Remove from heat and add the coriander. Let stand for a minute (discard any mussels that did not open after cooking) and serve with chunks of crusty white bread.




Another one from California, and this is about the most romantic meal i've ever cooked - my now wife had just accepted my proposal of marriage as the sun went down over the Pacific Ocean! John Maybury of Fort Bragg California turned me on to this one. We were camping on Usal beach in Sinkyone State Park when Mr Maybury showed up with a triangular fishing net. "I'm looking for Nightfish," he declared, "they follow the Dayfish". It turns out he was fishing for Grunion, not dissimilar to the Whitebait, common around British waters. Served up with warm crusty bread and cool beer it's pretty hard to beat.

Ingredients (feeds two):

Plain flour
Flaked Sea salt & fresh milled black pepper
Whitebait (a couple of good handfuls)
Olive oil for deep frying
Warm crusty bread
A cold beer!

Toss the whitebait in seasoned flour. Deep fry in hot olive oil until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon onto sheets of kitchen roll. Serve on hot buttered crusty bread or toast and enjoy with a cold beer.