Definitely not the easiest or quickest kitchen process for anyone who doesn’t see well. But not impossible: John took me through it step-by-step and double-checked the end product.
I just about managed a decent job with a plaice and, after that, the mousse filling and creamy wine sauce were dead simple.
We have a “Growers’ Market” in Fareham the first Saturday of each month where I can buy excellent pork, eggs, game and, recently, fresh fish. The huge plaice came from Viviers Portsmouth Fish Market (www.fishmarketportsmouth.co.uk) –they have a great selection of locally caught fish, seafood, crabs and lobsters (02392 753621.) I made spaghetti vongole with a bag of their clams.
My tips for filleting fish are:
- Buy the largest fish you can because the bones will be bigger and easier to feel. And worth asking the fishmonger to clean it by removing the digestive tract etc.
- Use two very sharp knives: one short one for most of the filleting and a longer one to complete the skinning.
- Have some sticking plasters handy!
It was good to have John back in the kitchen on a very rainy day – apparently bronzed from his holiday and our five day hot summer. He was full of tales from Benidorm and his plans for an Easter cruise next year.
Penny Melville-Brown OBE
Disability Dynamics ltd www.disabilitydynamics.co.uk
Helping disabled people to work since 2000
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