Out & About Winter 2019

Out&About food & drink

FISH

Ding-a- ling Related to the cod family, ling offers a tasty and affordable alternative, says SIMON RHODES

D uring the winter months, a great fish to enjoy on those nippier evenings is ling. This great tasting fish is found in abundance around our shores, but is rarely seen in our restaurants or fishmongers, although it is becoming more and more popular as chefs are trying to avoid cod. It is also quite affordable so is ideal for a midweek fish curry, risotto or roasting. We often have ling delivered and it is proving more and more popular with our customers. Often found in very deep waters and especially around shipwrecks, this underrated fish is mainly caught via long line trawlers.

Related to the cod, it is a firm fleshed white fish, which can accompany a variety of flavours to suit its sweet meat. It is a long fish – the biggest caught on rod and line off the coast of Shetland measured six foot. It is a delicacy in Icelandic countries at Christmas time and the salted roe of the ling is also considered a delicacy in Spain and is known as huevas de maruca. Its diet consists of smaller fish such as herring, sprats, baby cod, and sometimes crab and lobster. Ling often curl themselves up in rocks and wrecks and lay in wait for long periods for their prey to pass.

Recipe: Oven-roasted Ling with a Herb Crust

1. Make the herb crust by tearing some bread into small pieces and blitzing them in a food blender to make breadcrumbs. 2. Then add the juice of a lemon and a clove of garlic and some fresh herbs such as parsley, chives and sage, but any fresh herbs will do. Add a little olive oil so that the crust keeps its shape. 3. Finally season the mixture and mould onto the top of some skinned ling fillets. 4. Place in an oven at 180˚C for approximately 15 minutes. These are ideal with oven roasted cherry vine tomatoes.

Simon Rhodes owns: The Lobster Pot Fishmongers. Cobbs Farmshop, Bath Road, Hungerford, Berkshire RG17 0SP Telephone: 01488 686770

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O&A WINTER 2019