I bought some fish yesterday. The fishmonger is almost opposite the flat and has a stunning array of fish and shellfish as well as some hors d'oeuvres type dishes made on the premises - such as octopus salad and pickled herring. I have my eye on the herring for a starter at the weekend.
The fishmongers have an interesting way of doing business. There are usually two of them on duty, three or four on a Friday and Saturday and they are very friendly but pressing. They are putting fish on the scales before you have even made up your mind - and they don't pick the smallest ones! So far we have had clams and turbot and yesterday I decided to get colin. If you google colin, which you won't because you don't have the time for such nonsense, you will see that there is complete confusion about what colin is or isn't on either side of the channel. Colin is hake...but sometimes translated as coley or pollock. I came across the interesting, but old, news that Sainsbury's were trying to push pollock in order to wean people off cod. They renamed it colin and put it in designer packaging. Nobody was fooled.
The fishmonger cut me off two steaks from across the body of the fish and threw in a free lemon as an afterthought. Perhaps I am becoming a cherished customer! I fried the fish in butter with a light dusting of flour. It was accompanied by a watercress sauce. Peter bought a bunch of watercress at the market last Saturday and unlike Sainsbury's where you get a paltry amount in a bag, this was an enormous packed bunch and it needed finishing up. I also bought some dried haricot beans and cooked them with garlic and tomato and they made a good accompaniment.
The fish was very good. Sweet and firm. I did take a picture of my plate before I started eating but I hadn't planned the presentation in advance and I'd slopped the sauce all over the fish, so it isn't very appealing. I know - get a life!!
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