One of the perks of living by the coast and in Torbay no less, was that we were always able to buy seafood. Fresh fish was abundant and I have memories of accompanying my mother in the drive to her favorite fishmongers in Paignton. The fishing capital of England, Brixham was on the other end of the bay so there was always good supplies. Perhaps it was a little expensive but my family didn't hold back especially when it came to quality fresh ingredients.
My father loves fresh fish particularly steamed Cantonese-style with ginger and shredded spring onions in a soy sauce oil glaze. If there was no fish at the dinner table, he wasn’t happy.
 |
| Steamed Turbot |
 |
| A family dinner featuring stir-fried crab |
Fishing was a hobby for day-offs and late nights after Hoi Shan closed – eels at the harbor, fishing trips out to sea on Tuesdays. One summer, my father even co-bought a boat and it was soon used for weekly fishing trips, undertaken by my dad, brother and various relatives and friends. The largest haul ever on one outing was 35 sea bass which was promptly stored in the freezer! We all got a little bored of eating sea bass that summer.
In the summer, we bought fresh lobsters and crabs. Not for us was the simple steaming or boiling method. After cleaning and dissecting into pieces, the shellfish was cooked with their own roe with the triumvarate of ginger, spring onions and garlic. Tomato ketchup gave the sauce piquancy and XO liquer was used to give an aromatic finish.
Sometimes, individual fisherman will come round to sell a freshly-caught fish – still live and kicking in the bucket. Some of the family’s favorites were sea bass, John Dory, red mullet and flat fish like Dover or lemon sole which were ideal pan-fried with a drizzle of scallions and soy sauce to finish.
I'm happy to have these seafood memories because unfortunately, I developed a shellfish allergy in my mid-40's! Luckily, my tastebuds remember...
No comments:
Post a Comment