Fresh Brown Crab



Edible Crab

Shell removed showing gills




Dressed Crab

Cock Crab Underbelly

I bought this beautiful freshly boiled Brown Crab (Cancer pagurus) from the Good Fish Shop in Haslemere.  Being a cock (male) crab it has larger claws than a hen which results in more of the delicately flavoured white meat.  Apart from large claws you can identify the male by the narrower triangular shaped flap on the abdomen which on the female is much wider. To prepare your crab, place it 'nose' down on a chopping board and give it a good thump.  The shell should separate from the legs and main body. Prise the shell off and expose the inside which includes the 'dead mans fingers'.  These are in fact the gills and contrary to popular belief, are not deadly poisonous.  However, they have an unpleasant flavour and can harbour bacteria so should be removed. Also press out the mouth parts which should remove the stomach at the same time. Then scoop out the very tasy brown meat from inside the shell and the flaky white meat from inside the body cavities.  This is best performed with a 'pick' or small fork. Finally crack the claws with a mallet or rolling pin and ease out the claw meat.  Layer the brown, white and claw meat in the original top shell.

Kippers for Breakfast

We recently stayed at the Hotel du Vin in Bristol and enjoyed a very pleasant meal in the brasserie on Saturday evening.  The menu was interesting; I had the cod fillet with seared scallops and pepperonata as a main course.  The cod fillet was nice and thick and not overcooked giving delicate flakes of cod which slid away on the knife.  There are a number of sustainable sources for Atlantic Cod (Gadus morhua) including Iceland, NE Arctic and Celtic Sea.

The varied breakfast menu offered grilled kippers which I chose.  In fact when it arrived it was a pair of kipper fillets which were nicely presented with melted butter.  I added a couple of poached eggs for good measure.

When cooking a whole kipper at home I favour the method of cooking a kipper in a jug of hot water.  Just place the kipper, head down, into a tall jug filled with boiling water straight from the kettle.  Put a tea towel over the top and leave for 15 minutes.  Remove the kipper and serve with a knob of butter.  This provides a lightly cooked kipper without filling the house with cooking smells.

Oysters and the Food Standards Agency

Why do the Food Standards Agency publish a report which contains an obvious headline-grabbing statement that over 75% of UK oysters contain the Norovirus?  Hidden deeper in their report they state that they were unable to distinguish between infectious and non-infectious forms of the virus.  They also state that the risk is no greater now than it was before the study.  It doesn't take much common sense to realise that the media headlines will concentrate on the 75% bit, so why did the FSA act in such a manner ? They say it is their duty to alert the public of the risks which is fair enough but I say, think about the wording of your press release and understand how the media operate.  The UK shellfish industry has more than its fair share of problems and doesn't need a government agency adding to them unnecessarily.

Seafood at the Leconfield, Petworth

I have eaten dinner several times at the Leconfield, literally since the day it opened, and noticed a transition with time.  The service and general ambience has improved, as it needed to, but one aspect has remained constant throughout ....... the high quality of the food.  In my opinion the head chef, Stuart Dove, is a genius and consistently produces food that tastes and looks amazing. Sarah and I went for lunch (a first for us at the Leconfield) and enjoyed a few fish dishes. 


First up was my  applewood smoked mackerel pate with horseradish cream, cucumber and Avruga caviar salsa with cumin crackers.  Sarah had the Cognac flamed seafood bisque with sliced sour dough and Sussex churned butter.  Both were beautifully presented and had great flavour combinations.  The mackerel pate was smooth and well balanced with the salsa.  Bisque was well seasoned to provide flavours of the sea with a peppery finish.  Main course was crispy fried seabass and tiger prawn tagine with roasted red peppers, coriander couscous, butternut squash and almonds.  The seabass fillet was perfect with succulent flesh under crispy skin - not easy to get as good as this.  Again great flavour combinations with the prawns and couscous.

The only negative was the lack of customers.  It is a very pleasant space for lunch and really not that expensive for the quality of the food.  We had starters and mains from the Prixe-fixe menu at £16.50 each.  So ignore Rod Liddle (Times) and early reviews of this restaurant which were more about service than food.  The service has improved no end and the food is stunning.

Fish Tikka at Meghdoots, Petworth

Meghdoots Mystique Masala restaurant is an absolute gem yet to be discovered by the masses but highly recommended on Tripadvisor.  I was there last Saturday and had this delicious Fish Tikka.  Made with Tilapia fillets expertly blended with traditional spices and lime this is a dish to savour with every delicious mouthful. Combined with their speciality spinach rice and black lentil dahl and washed down with a glass of cold Cobra, it was perfect Indian cuisine. Tilapia refers to a group of fish called chichlids which are native to Africa and is one of the most sustainable fish according to the Marine Conservation Society.  Tilapia lend themselves well to stronger flavours.

Mussel Chowder at the Bluebell, Cocking

 Sarah and I went to the Bluebell at Cocking (2 miles south of Midhurst ) for lunch this week. I had the mussel chowder which had been prepared in the traditional clam chowder way but using rope grown mussels (Mytilus edulis) from Shetland.  The blend of mussels, potato, leeks, and cream, all perfectly seasoned, was absolutely delicious and the service was friendly and efficient.  We will return for dinner soon so watch this space for more reviews. Seafood chowder is a favourite of mine having eaten it many times on work trips to Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in New England.  Also clam chowder was the first dish I prepared when I attended the Rick Stein seafood cookery school in Padstow.

Just for fun

I was sat in a restaurant and got hit on the back of the head by a prawn cocktail. I looked round and this bloke shouts: 'That's just for starters!'

Seared Yellowfin Tuna with Parmentier Potatoes

This is the most succulent steak ever which I cooked at home last night.  I bought the Yellowfin Tuna (Thunnus albacares) steaks fresh from The Good Fish Shop in Haslemere. It is sushi grade tuna which is the best cut from the loin and has very little sinew (white stringy threads).  Their tuna is caught from small boats using a pole fishing technique which is sustainable and very fresh.  Always check the freshness when you buy tuna like this.  As it ages it produces histamine which gives the fish an unpleasant smell and tastes metallic.  This is undesirable and can be hazardous to people with an allergy.  


To cook the tuna I marinaded it for 1/2 hour in lime juice and olive oil with a bit of freshly ground black pepper and then seared the surface in a hot frying pan for just 1 minute each side. The steak should still be red in the middle.  The 'parmentier' potatoes are cubed with garlic butter and rosemary and were bought ready made from Waitrose. I added a side salad of rocket, watercress and tomato.  

Shellfish in Venice

Apologies as this was taken a little while ago but it is such a great example of fresh seafood which was displayed outside a restaurant in Venice and I thought I would share it with you. In it I can see spider crab, lobster, crayfish, langoustines, octopus, seabass, bream, squid, scallops, oysters.  What a feast, let me know if I have missed anything !

Lobster Cataplana in Lagos, Portugal

Lobster Cataplana

Another great dish in the Algarve was the Lobster Cataplana at Cantinho Algarvio.  Using fresh European Lobster (Homarus gammarus) from the live tank this dish is cooked in a traditionl Portuguese style with tomatoes in a round copper dish (cataplana).  A subtle blend of herbs and onions complement the delicate flavour of the lobster and at £40 for 2 people it represents great value.  Restaurant owner Carlos and his staff are really attentive and provide very high quality fish and shellfish.

Spider Crab at Antonios, Porto do Mos

Just been out to Lagos in the Western Algarve and I am pleased to see that O-Antonio beach-side restaurant in Porto do Mos has reopened after winning in court against eviction.  Had an amazing Spider Crab (Maja squinado) for lunch which they boil straight from their display tank and serve with a simple mayonnaise and lemon wedges.  With Spider Crab it takes a bit of effort to extract the meat but it is worth it as the flavour is awesome, especially the 'butter' which is the lipid rich, yellow coloured digestive gland (kind of liver).  Served with hot buttered toast and accompanied with a light beer this is the perfect lunch to eat when viewing the beautiful Atlantic Ocean.