This Month

The first thing I couldn’t help noticing about The River Cottage FISH Book is how big and heavy it is - definitely not a book to take on a fishing trip but then that was probably never its intention.

Written by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and the appropriately-named Nick Fisher, they have a clear view of its “nitty gritty”. Apart from the “delightful activity of cooking and eating fish”, FISH is about understanding the business of catching and preparing them. Once we readers achieve this we will, perforce, get even more pleasure.

Golly, FISH is comprehensive. One of its three sections, Understanding Fish, is divided into Fish as food; Sourcing fish; Fish skills; Shellfish skills. Within these, the authors deal with such diverse topics as Fish as brain food; Five rules for sustainable fish shopping; Fish to find; Fish to avoid; Fish prep kit…… and so on. A thorough trawl.

Recipes are a real catch. Helpfully grouped under such headings as Raw, salted and marinated; Baked and grilled; Fish thrift and standbys (for maximising ingredients and minimising waste) they cleverly organise you into deciding what – and how – you might want to cook. They’re also extremely alluring – Simon Wheeler’s photos see to that – and make you want to rush out, buy (from a sustainable source naturally) and cook. Roll on summer for a burst of Roasted whole plaice with cherry tomatoes. Meanwhile let’s be content with FoodLovers featured recipes Crab Bread & Butter Pudding or Drunken Smollack Toasts – a fishy version of Welsh rarebit.

Buy The River Cottage Fish Book by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall & Nick Fisher
FoodLovers price £15.99 (RRP £30.00)

Drunken Smollack Toasts
Crab Bread and Butter Pudding
Steam Braised Ling with Lemon & Thyme