Soused Gurnard

Gurnard is an extraordinary prehistoric looking fish.  Currently plentiful and sustainable they are one of the cheapest fish on the  market.  I bought 2 for £6 at the week end.  Filleted they have fed 2 people 1 main meal and a soup for the next day.

This recipe is taken from Mark Hix's British Seasonal Food and changed in accordance to what I had in stock.  I recommend the book highly and is my current favourite read.  

Sousing is an old method of cooking and fish.  Mackeral and herring are more commonly soused.  It's in between a marinade and a pickle.

I served it with a salad of arame seaweed, avocado & beetroot.

• 2 red gurnard filleted
• 3Tbsp cider vinegar
• 3Tbsp water
• 1 medium carrot sliced finely
• 2 medium shallots sliced finely
• 1 small leek sliced finely
• 10 coriander seds
• a pinch of cumin seeds
• a pinch of fennel seeds
• sea salt
• 1-2Tbsp extra virgin hemp oil

Preheat oven to 200C

1. Wash and dry the fillets and lay in an oven proof dish
2. Put the vinegar, water, carrot, shallot, leeks, spices and salt into a pan and bring to the boil. Simmer for a minute.
3. Pour over the fish and cover dish with foil and cook in oven for 10-15 minutes.
4. Allow to cool down for a couple of hours and then chill in refrigerator.
5. Bring to room temperature to serve and drizzle some oil.

Seaweed Salad

• 10gms arame seaweed
• 1 ripe avocado
• half a red onion chopped very finely
• 1 beetroot boiled, peeled and chopped into matchsticks
• Dressing : 2Tbsp hemp oil and 1Tbsp cider vinegar, S&P and pinch of fennel  seeds.

1. Soak the arame for 10 minutes in water, drain.
2. Blanch in boiling water for 2 minutes, strain and chill in cold water.
3. Blend the dressing ingredients and simply add all the other ingredients and mix well.

To serve place the seaweed salad in the middle of the plate and add the soused fillets on top.