Fishmongers ... and a nice plate of buttery sea bass fillets with cider-braised greens

Did you know that "A fishmonger (fishwife for female practitioners) is someone who sells raw fish and seafood. Fishmongers can be wholesalers or retailers, and are trained at selecting and purchasing, handling, gutting, boning, filleting, displaying, merchandising and selling their product. In some countries modern supermarkets are replacing fishmongers who operate in shops or fish markets. The fishmongers guild, one of the earliest guilds, was established in the City of London by a Royal Charter granted by Edward I shortly after he became king in 1272, the guild still continues today as one of the Great Twelve City Livery Companies.

16th Century Fishmonger stall
by Italian Painter Bartolomeo Passarotti

You may also like to read more about The Fishmongers’ Company one of the Twelve Great Livery Companies of the City of London, and among the most ancient of the City Guilds. For over 700 years, as well as fostering the fellowship among its members, it has upheld standards in the trading of fish and shellfish and supported the fisheries industry – roles still played today. 

It certainly has a lot of History, on Sunday 2nd September 1666, Fishmongers’ Hall was the first of forty Livery Halls to catch the flames of the Great Fire of London, and during the Second World War, on the 9th September 1940, bombs fell on all sides of the Hall, causing fire and great damage. Read more here

Now onto a light summer recipe, a delicious dinner for two, with crispy-skinned sea bass nestled into a soft bed of greens and a velvety cider butter. You can easily replace the seabass with any fish you have in the fridge. Also delicious with haddock or bream … 

Ingredients

Serves Two

6.4g Carbs per serving 
1 tsp olive oil

50g butter
2 sea bass fillets, skin lightly scored
½ Savoy cabbage, shredded
150g frozen peas
100ml cider

Method
1. Heat the olive oil and butter in a frying pan. Season the fillets, and add them to the pan, skin-side down. Fry over a high heat for 3 mins, or until the skin is crisp and the butter has started to brown. Turn the fish over and fry for 1-2 mins more, until cooked through. Remove the fillets from the pan and keep warm.
2. Add the cabbage and peas to the pan and toss to coat in the butter. Once the cabbage has wilted, pour in the cider and season well. Bring to the boil and cook for 2 mins, or until slightly reduced.

3. To serve, divide the cabbage and pea mixture between 2 plates and top each with a sea bass fillet. Drizzle over the cider butter. 

From an original idea here

Dear reader, you will find a variety of recipe ideas and articles within this blog, and not all may be suitable for you. If you may have any food allergies, or underlying health issues these must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use your meter.

All the best Jan