Sea Trout, calves' livers, peaches
Fish
There is plenty of wild sea trout and wild salmon now comming in . Handline fihsing has also now begun with some very good quality mackerel and bass, and some stunning but inexpensive pollack. Pollock is still undereused here - in France, it is considered much better than cod. The lobster season is now in full swing. There are bargains to be had on large cippled lobsters if you are just using them for dishes such as salads or soups. John Dory is also available with reasonable prices on fish of 500g or 1kg. English squid has reappeared after a three-month absence, with the season starting properly August. A few red mullet have also been landed by the day boats. Megrims, lemons and plaice are all plentiful but Dover soles continues to be very expensive the highest price we've seen for some time.
Source: Chef Direct, 01275 474707, www.chefclubdirect.co.uk
Meat
Beef is still expensive although calves livers are a bargin right now. It's also worth checking out lamb offal for something different - it's a great product and fantastic value. There is plenty of lamb on the market now as well, and it is absoloutely marverllous quality. Poultry is also excellent at the moment.
Source: Aubrey Allen, 024 7642 2222, www.aubreyallenwholesale.co.uk
Fresh Produce
French peaches ar every good at the moment, both the white and yellow fleshed varieties there are also very good flat peaches and nectarines on the market and some fantastically aromatic French mara des bois speciality strawberries. Dutch strawberries are currently better than the English crop. Pears are proving hard to source. Hot weather is affecting some European salad crops, including curly endives or fresee. There are however some more resilient varieties being grown in the South - west of France. Tomatoes are also more expensive while red and yellow peppers are short. UK new season Maris Peer mid sizes Potatoes are good wheile there are some excellent Cornish new potatoes and early potatoes from Noirmoutier, an island off France. We also have some very tasty peanut shoots from Thailand. They have a lovely nutty flavour and work well in stir-fries and salads.
Source: Fresh Direct, 01869 365600, www.freshdirect.co.uk
SEASONAL RECIPE
Pan fried sea trout with warm new potatoes and a sald of crab, apple and pink grapefruit
Ingredients
Serves 4
800g new potatoes
40ml vinaigrette
2 pink grapefruit
150ml tomato juice
Tobasco
1 bunch chives
4 peices sea trout, pin-boned and secaled
Salt
White pepper
Olive Oil
Butter
Lemon Juice
200g white crab meat
1 Granny smith apple
200g mixed herb salad
Parsley oil
Method
Scrub the new potatoes and boil in salted water. When cooked, drain and slice about 2cm thick. Place in a bowl and dress with a little vinaigrette, season, cover them and serve in a warm place until needed. To make the dressing, peel and divide one of the grapefruit into segments. Dice the segments into large cubes and squeeze the juice from the remaining grapefruit into a bowl. Mix with the tomato juice and a few drops of Tobasco and chopped chives. Put the grapfruit cubes into the dressing and refrigerate. Season the sea trout with salt and white pepper, and pan-fry in a on-stick pan, skin-side down, in a little olive oil and a knob of butter. Cook until golden and crsip, then turn over and cook for about 30 seconds. Finish with a squeeze of lemon and keep warm. Julienne the apple and place in a bowl with the mixed herb salad. Add the crab and dress with a little of the tomato dressing. Chop the chives and add to the potatoes, place a few in the centre of the plate, top with the salad and place five pieces of the grapefruit around the plate. Place the cooked sea trout on top of the salad and spoon the tomato dressing around the plate. Finish with a drizzle of parsely oil.
James Mckenzie, chef-proprietor, Pipe and Glass Inn, South Dalton, East Yorkshire
