Back in 1998, when I opened the Duke of Cambridge, I was acutely aware of the impact the fishing industry was having on marine life. Clearly we needed a policy that was attempting to demonstrate that you could source fish in a way that was sustainable. With guidance from the Marine Conservation Society we created the first fish purchasing policy for restaurants that the MCS was willing to put public approval to.
Offering fish that is supporting an industry that is contributing to environmental stability rather plundering our oceans also happens to be excellent marketing! Lets not be shy about it, marketing good news is crucial, it spreads positive change. Our customers are loyal to us because they know we are doing the right thing with their money. Our customers understand what we are trying to achieve, they have heard of pollack and coley and don't want to see cod on our menu. It's a sea change, and we can all feel extremely positive about how incredibly far we have come in 10 years. But we must never get complacent. Restaurants are lagging behind the retail industry. We have the unique opportunity to provide tasty examples of alternatives to the over fished species while providing information about why it matters to our captive audience.
For example, pollack is a wonderful white fish, an alternative to endangered cod. We have been serving it in the pub for nearly 10 years now as we don't serve cod. In the early days we had to explain why to our customers, but now it’s a popular choice, and most people couldn't tell the difference in a blind tasting. It's an essential fish to have on your list, under used and plentiful – a perfect cod replacement. The recipes below are two of my favourites from the Duke of Cambridge menu.
Audio: an interview with Geetie Singh
Fillet of pollack with Jerusalem artichoke purée with green beans and tapenade
| Tapenade | ||
| 200g | black olives - stoned and roughly chopped | |
| 80g | anchovy pieces in oil | |
| 1 | red chilli finely chopped | |
| 2 | garlic cloves finely chopped | |
| 200ml | good olive oil | |
Method
- Put olives, anchovies, chilli and garlic in a pestle and mortar and grind until smooth
- Add olive oil slowly
- Put in a bowl and mix in chopped parsley and set aside
- Tapenade will last in the fridge for at least 2 weeks; make sure the surface is covered in oil
| Jerusalem artichoke purée | ||
| 500g | Jerusalem artichokes | |
| 100g | cream | |
| 100g | butter | |
| ½ bunch | thyme, picked and chopped | |
| 500g | green beans | |
Method
- Preheat the oven to 130ºC
- Scrub the artichokes making sure there’s no dirt
- Put on a baking tray; add butter, salt, pepper and chopped thyme
- Cover with foil and put in oven for about an hour or until artichokes are soft
- When ready, while they are still soft, put the blender until puréed or mash
- Add cream slowly, you might not need it all; you don’t want the puree too soft
- Keep in the pan ready to warm when serving
Pollack (180-200g per person)
Method
- Score the skin of the Pollack lengthways and season
- Get a frying pan on a high heat, when it starts smoking; add a little bit of sunflower oil just to cover the pan
- Slowly place the fish, skin side down, making sure the oil splashes away from you
- Turn the temp down and get the skin nice and crispy and golden brown, for about 4 minutes
- Turn over and fry on medium heat for a further 4 minutes
- The fish should be cooked through, so it flakes when you prod it and is no longer translucent
- While you are frying the fish have a pot of water boiling to cook the beans for 2 minutes
- Drain the beans and in the same pan, toss in butter and season
- Put the purée on the plate first then the salmon with the Tapenade on top and the beans on the side
- Enjoy!
Steamed razor clams with white wine, cream, tarragon and garlic bread
Serves 4
| Ingredients | ||
| 12 | razor clams | |
| 4 | 4 shallots – finely chopped | |
| 4 | cloves of garlic – finely chopped | |
| 3 | whole garlic cloves | |
| 200ml | good white wine | |
| 100ml | double cream | |
| Olive oil | ||
| 50g | butter | |
| 1 slice | home made bread or other good hearty bread (per person) | |
Method
The clams should be closed when you buy them, this means they are fresh. Ask the fish monger to rinse the clams under cold water. Firstly you need to remove the sand and this is done by putting the clams in a tray of cold water and sea salt. Leave them for 5 min, drain and rinse again. Put them in the fridge with a damp cloth over until cooking time.
Finely chop the shallots, garlic and tarragon. Take a large saucepan and put on the heat until very very hot. Add a drizzle of olive oil, shallots, garlic and tarragon. Quickly place the razor calms on top, shake the pan, add the white wine, and put the lid on. Leave about 3 mins or until all the clams have opened. Pop the bread in the toaster. Add cream, a knob of butter and seasoning when the clams are ready. Rub the toast with the extra garlic and drizzle with olive oil.
Green note: Razor clams must be hand gathered – dredging is extremely destructive. They are an under used species, so excellent alternative to the usual clam. Ensure they are from the UK, we have lots imported in this country.
More: hear from other top restaurateurs and chefs who support Seafood See Life »
