Billingsgate Fish Market
Going on cookery courses is fun as you get to learn how other people do things and it all adds to our knowledge which we can pass on within our own sessions. Following a lovely day spent at Billingsgate Fish School we decided to recreate one of the dishes that we prepared for a meal on Christmas eve with our family. This is one of the best fish courses we have attended with well-informed staff who are dedicated to their product. There was a good variety of fish and seafood to prepare and we were given clear instructions. It is a very early start though as we have to be there by 6am, which is quite late in fishmongers terms as the market is starting to pack up by then. We arrived early to explore the market on our own but a tour of the market is included in most sessions. However for our Christmas eve meal we didn’t want to get up at 4.30am again so we ordered the fish from the wonderful Star Fishmongers in Ongar’s High Street! Well Dave was going there anyway …..
Dover Sole stuffed with Tiger Prawns and pesto
Dover Sole from fish course
1 Dover sole per person
6-8 raw prawns per person, peeled
splash of olive oil
Pesto
Large handful of basil leaves
50g freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 cloves garlic
50g toasted pine nuts
5 – 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Skin the slip soles and create pockets in one side, or you can ask your fishmonger to do this but it would be nice to let them know that this is how you would like it prepared. Place on lightly oiled foil on a baking tray.
Make the pesto, which is easiest in a mini food processor. Place all the ingredients in the processor and whizz to form a textured paste. Transfer to a small bowl and stir the raw prawns into the pesto.
Push the fillets created by the pockets back and place the prawns in the opening so that they are all snuggly. Pour any excess pesto over the top.
To cook, pre-heat the oven to 200C/gas 6 and bake for 12-15 minutes or until cooked. To check it is cooked the flesh of the fish will be opaque and the prawns should be pink.
Some alternatives whilst preparing the fish you can trim off the fins round both sides before stuffing with prawns or you can cook with the fins on then gently pull the bones away after cooking for a cleaner presentation. The fish can also be stuffed with brown shrimp.
Serving suggestions to have with the dover sole could be some simply boiled new potatoes, chantenay carrots and green beans or we served it with a mushroom risotto to continue the Italian theme. We also had two vegetarian guests and we made stuffed aubergines which worked really well with the mushroom risotto.
Stuffed Aubergine
1 aubergine
4oz squash
1 large shallot
1 clove garlic
3 dried apricots
2oz Pistachio nuts or pine nuts
Handful chopped flat leaf parsley
Slices of your favourite vegetarian cheese
Heat the oven to 200C/gas 6. Halve the aubergine and scoop out the flesh leaving at least a centimetre thick shell behind, dice the scooped out aubergine flesh, squash, onion and garlic and place on a baking tray with a drizzle of olive oil. Lightly oil the aubergine halves and place on another baking tray. Place both trays in the oven for 20 minutes. Test that the squash is cooked, but remember that it is going to be cooked again. Remove the aubergine halves from the oven and set aside. When the aubergine and squash mix is cooked stir in the nuts, apricots and parsley then fill the aubergine cases. When ready to cook put slices of cheese on top then place the stuffed aubergines in the oven for 20 minutes.