Tony Sargeant commends Red Gurnard for those who like eating fish

A greatly underestimated fish Red Gurnard used to be thrown back by fisherman or used to bait lobster pots because there was no market for it but it has become increasingly popular in recent years. Anthony Sargeant bought these from a Birmingham fish market stall (in the indoor market at the Bullring). It yields good meaty fillets which are firm and with an excellent taste. It is easy to fillet although care is needy with the spines. The fish at the back has already had the far fillet removed  which is lying under the filleting knife, and the nearside fillet has just been started moving the filleting knife vertically down from the dorsal fin and spines. Highly recommended – just simply pan fry.

Hake fillets cooked and smoked on a gentle barbecue with apple wood chippings

Anthony Sargeant says that this is so simple but absolutely delicious – the apple wood adds a delicate smoky flavour. Just place the fillets onto buttered foil made into a shallow tray then cover barbecue with lid to contain the smoke from the apple wood – after a few minutes add a good dollop of cider to keep the fillets moist for the rest of the covered cooking time basting occasionally. Here the fillets are served with crushed new potatoes and pea and braised lettuce. reserve the cider juices to make a light sauce adding double cream and squeeze of lemon.

Fettuccine with English cockles cooked by Anthony Sargeant

Anthony Sargeant Tony says this is a very simple dish but one that needs good ingredients – good pasta and fresh live cockles in the shell (very important – don’t be tempted to substitute frozen cockle meat). Treat the cockles much as you would moule mariniere – shallots softened in butter then white wine till boiling then add cockles and put lid on, shaking occasionally, for a few minutes. Remove the cockles and take the meat out of the shells (you can keep a few shells for decoration if you like). Reserve the wonderful liquor adding some double cream and reduce it – then reincorporate the cockle meat to warm it through and parsley. Then all spooned together with the Fettuccine. (1 kg of cockles in the shell yields about 130g of cockle meat – enough for two portions). This was last night’s supper, 6th March 2016. The live English cockles were bought from Birmingham Market on Saturday morning.

Lobster Thermidor cooked by Anthony Sargeant

Anthony Sargeant is fortunate to be able to buy fresh lobster. This is the final stage of the last two posts. It is a classic dish (some would say almost ‘retro’ but none the worse for that) named after the restaurant close to the Paris Opera where it was first prepared in the 19th century. It needs care to keep the sauce delicate in relation to the subtle taste of the lobster. This one was delicious – well worth the effort of preparing from scratch.

Lobster after Anthony Sargeant has cooked it

See previous post showing the fresh live lobster that Anthony Sargeant bought at Birmingham Market yesterday (5th March 2016). Now it has been cooked and has turned its characteristic red colour. In the next post the final result will be shown when the lobster was prepared as Lobster Thermidor (named after a restaurant near the Paris Opera in the 19th Century).

Anthony Sargeant will prepare lobster for supper

Tony Sargeant will prepare this fresh lobster bought at Birmingham Fish Market this morning for this evenings supper. First chilled in freezer to render it unconscious before being cooked and prepared.

Cooking in Shropshire by Tony Sargeant

Fettuccine cooked by Anthony J Sargeant for supper on 29th February 2016. Winkles in a creamy fish stock sauce is served with a decoration of freshly cooked prawns garnished with parsley.

Dawn in Shropshire photographed by Tony Sargeant

Winter dawn photographed from his Shropshire (UK) home by Anthony Sargeant on the 25th February 2016. After a frosty night the sun rises above the distant horizon of the Brown Clee Hill.

Denby Stoneware Vase

Anthony Sargeant bought this Denby stoneware jar at auction in 2015 (by accident so to speak). It was part of a ‘job-lot’ of ceramics which was bought for an antique Qajar Persian tile. But in among the lot was this and also two good Winchcombe Pottery jugs. None of these ‘incidentals’ are especially valuable nevertheless they were a free bonus and pleasing examples of their potteries. The Denby is especially sculptural with an ‘Etruscan’ shape to it – glazed in a typical Denby blue/brown. It is a good size being 23cm tall.