Battered Gurnard and Chips

Battered Gurnard and Chips

Friday fish and chip lunch using Gurnard instead of Cod or Haddock. I battered the skinned fish fillets using a light tempura style batter and deep fried it in vegetable oil. Combined with chunky chips and tomato ketchup, what a tasty lunch ! I bought two Gurnard whole from the Good Fish Shop in Haslemere where John, the fishmonger, filleted and skinned them for me. There is a lot of waste with Gurnard but the fillets are meaty and firm and these 2 fish cost £5 which is pretty good value. Gurnard (Aspitrigla cuculus ) is a highly sustainable choice being a fast growing species which matures early to a good size.  It is rated 2 (good choice) by the Marine Conservation Society on their Fish Online website.

New years eve in Florence

Arancine of cuttlefish

Enjoyed a wonderful New Years Eve at the Frescobaldi restaurant at Piazza della Signoria in Florence. The 9 course menu was was superb with a selection of stunning wines to accompany including a bottle of Spumante for each table to celebrate at midnight.

Seafood dishes included Arancine (which literally means 'an orange which has fallen from the tree') of durum wheat stuffed with cuttlefish and diced vegetable and served on a disk of yellow squash.  The durum wheat 'semolina', similiar to large cous cous, was soaked in the cuttlefish ink which provided texture and flavour.

Sauteed scallops

The scallops sauteed in black butter and Rosemary with green onion compote, rice balls and steamed shrimp with caviar were a superb combination accompanied by the 2003 Castelgiocondo Brunello di Montalcino.

After the midnight celebration there was a raffle for bottles of the wines we had enjoyed during the night and we won 2 bottles of the 40 Altari 2006, Vin Santo del Chianti D.O.C. (dessert wine) and a magnum of the Toscana I.G.T. red , Tenuta Luce della Vite, Lucente 2007.  As we were flying back to London with only hand luggage we donated our winnings to the hard working staff at the restaurant so we hope you enjoyed it !

A four and a half hour dinner to celebrate the new year of 2012 !