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| Square pegs in round holes at Carnac |
I didn’t go to nursery. I stayed at home
with my mum and we did fabulous things instead – like oil paintings, trips to
the park, picnics and watching Pebble
Mill at One so I know I didn’t miss out on anything. Except perhaps those
games where you have to fit a square peg in a round hole (or is that what you’re
not supposed to do?).
The
other day I spent ten minutes in the kitchen trying to fathom out why the lid
(which I had only 3 minutes ago removed from my rice container) would no longer
fit. Ten long minutes – albeit with a glass of wine so I wasn’t worried about
the matter – but ten minutes nonetheless that could have been spent more
usefully. The answer did dawn on me eventually (just as I was about to find the Selotape and consider taping the lid to the box) – it was the wrong lid. I guess
this is why kids go to nursery.
That
said, I can make the square peg fit –
it’s just a combination of brute strength and determination (though admittedly
some things then break beyond repair) – so I guess there’s no need for me to
worry.
Having
just returned from France my next few recipes will, naturally, be French
inspired. I was going to give you the delicious Sauerkraut one (the French call
it choucroute which I think is a much more delicate sounding word) but I’ve no
photos of that yet so instead I’ll give you a lovely speedy fish recipe. Beurre
noisette is usually served with Skate wings (and it goes well with them) but
for this recipe (where you flour and fry the fish) you can use any tasty white
fillets. If I were using Skate I would probably poach them in wine rather than
fry. I used Sea Bream fillets which were literally being given away on Bury
Market yesterday (visit around 4:00pm for bargains). The crushed new potatoes (photo)
were a disappointing accompaniment; I think it would have gone very well with
rice (Carmargue if you can get it).
Recipe:
Fish fillets with buerre noisette
Source:
Inspired by countless French bars but see What I’m reading now for a good French
recipe book.
Ingredients
Sea Bream (filleted – one fillet per
person)
Fennel bulb(s) (one medium one per two
people)
Caper berries (sliced)
Fresh Parsley (flat or curled)
Fresh Dill (or use the feathery bits off
your fennel if there are enough)
Salted butter (a few knobs)
Unsalted butter (100g for 4 people but you’ll
need 75g for 2)
Olive oil
Plain flour
Rice or potatoes to serve
What
I Do
Quarter the fennel bulbs (removing the
fronds for later) and put them in an oven-proof dish. Drizzle generously with
olive oil and then dot with a few knobs of salted butter. Put in the oven on
Gas Mark 6 until tender (at least 30 minutes – you can always keep it warm if
it becomes tender sooner), about ten minutes before the end you may want to sprinkle brown sugar on the fennel (this is optional but can help enhance the flavour). Cook your accompaniment (rice or potatoes) as you
normally would).
Meanwhile put a
few spoons of plain flour on a plate with some seasoning (if desired), I used
black pepper and then grey salt which is a Normandy speciality. Lightly press
the fillets into the flour, coating both sides. Cut off the knob of unsalted butter
(you don’t need to weigh it, it’s a guide – use the lines on the packet) and
chop your herbs and caper berries. Have these ready by the hob as it’s one of
those meals you finish quickly.
When your fennel
and accompaniment are nearly done, dust off any excess flour and fry the fish
on both sides – this won’t take long but will depend on the thickness of your
fish. When cooked serve on warmed plates along with the fennel and potatoes/rice.
Drop the unsalted butter into the frying pan you used for the fish and melt, do
this over a medium heat, stirring the butter down. Once melted allow it to go
brown in colour – don’t let it burn – you’ll know it’s right because it should
start to smell nutty. Remove from the heat and then stir in the herbs and
berries (it will spit a lot at this point so be careful). Drizzle this over
your fish and on the plate so it looks nice.
