From the familiar Fish and Chips to something called Cullen Skink, we encourage you to explore our British fish recipes this summer season.
Fish & Chips
Homemade fish and chips, made with the best-quality ingredients, are special indeed. Britons who come from the north, like vinegar and mushy peas with their fish & chips. Green peas and tartare sauce are good too!
Ingredients:
Serves 4
For the fish:
- 4 thick cod or haddock fillets, skinned
- Flour
- Best quality beef drippings or lard or sunflower oil for frying
For the batter:
- 4 oz plain flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 egg, separated
- About ¼ pint of beer or water
For the chips:
- 2 lb potatoes cut into even-sized chips
- Lard or oil for deep frying
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Note: all ingredients should be at room temperature.
- Sieve the flour for the batter with the salt into a bowl, make a well in the center and gradually beat in the olive oil, egg yolk and beer or water to make a smooth batter that will coat the back of a wooden spoon. Let it rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
- Heat the fat in a deep-fat fryer with a basket to 350°F. Test the lard or oil with a square of bread. It should cook crisp and golden immediately.
- Dust the fish fillets with seasoned flour. Whip the egg white until still and fold it gently into the batter. Dip the flour-covered fillets in the batter and fry immediately until crisp and golden. Drain on kitchen paper. Don’t overload the pan. Better to do the frying in batches and keep the drained cooked fillets warm in the oven while you finish the rest.
- Dry the chips well on kitchen paper. Fry them in batches for about 10 minutes until soft, making sure not to overload the fryer. Drain on kitchen paper.
- Increase the heat to 375°F. Salt the chips and return in batches to the fryer for a few minutes until crisp and golden. Drain on kitchen paper again and add salt and pepper.
Cullen Skink
Cullen is a small village in north-east Scotland. Skink means “essence” in Gaelic. All the villages on the north-eastern coast had their own particular stews and soups, but this one seems to be the most famous – perhaps it’s the intriguing name. Crusty bread is all the accompaniment it needs! If you dare to try this dish in spite of its name, you may be pleasantly surprised to find yourself with a very nice chowder.
Ingredients:
Serves 6
- 1 lb smoked haddock or cod
- 1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped.
- 1 pint cream or milk
- 1 pint fish stock
- 8 oz cooked potato cut into cubes
- 8 oz of sweet corn
- Salt and pepper to taste
For garnish:
- Paprika
- Chopped parsley
Method:
- Steam or poach the fish for 5 minutes. Remove from the water with a slotted spoon. Discard the skin and any bones. Divide the fish into chunks with a fork. Use the water to make up the fish stock.
- Peel and finely chop the onion and place in a large pan with the milk and stock.
- Simmer until tender (about 10-15 minutes), then add the potatoes and sweetcorn.
- Reheat until just below boiling, add the fish and season to taste.
- Serve immediately, garnishing the soup bowls with a dusting of paprika and a little chopped parsley.
Pickled Herring and Fruit Pie
This unusual Norfolk recipe was researched and written up by Sara Paston-Williams. The mixture of fish and fruit may seem odd to our modern taste, but it is a great favorite at the Elizabethan banquets held from time to time at Oxburgh Hall in Norfolk.
Ingredients:
Serves 6
For the pastry:
- 12 oz plain flour
- 3 oz butter
- 3 oz lard
- Cold water to mix
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the filling:
- 1 lb pickled herring or rollmops
- 1 large cooking pear; peeled, cored and sliced
- 1 oz raisins
- 1 oz currants
- 2 oz dates, pitted and minced
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons dry white wine
- 1 oz butter, cut into small pieces
- Beaten egg, or milk to glaze pie
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Pinch of salt
Method:
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- To make the pastry, sieve the flour and salt together in a bowl. Add a sprinkling of pepper, then rub in the butter and lard until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Mix with enough cold water to make a firm dough. Knead lightly until smooth. Divide into two portions, about two-thirds and one-third. Roll out the two portions and then chill them for about 10 minutes.
- Grease a deep 8-inch flan tin and line it with the larger portion of pastry. Bake blind for 10 minutes. Leave to cool. Reduce the temperature of the oven to 375°F.
- Meanwhile prepare the filling. Unroll the herring, if necessary. Remove any onions and reserve. Rinse the herring in cold water and drain. Plunge them into 3 pints of boiling water in a pan, cook for 1 minute, remove and drain well. Cut into chunks.
- Mix the pear, dried fruit, salt, cinnamon and wine together in a bowl and add the herring. Transfer the filling into the pastry-lined flan tin, using a slotted spoon to drain off any excess liquid. Dot the mixture with the butter and cover with the remaining pastry. Decorate the top with any pastry trimmings, then brush with the egg or milk. Make a slit in the top to allow the steam to escape and sprinkle with the sugar. Bake for 1 hour, or until golden brown.
Republished with permission from The National Trust Complete Traditional Cookbook.