Life

James Street South Cookery School: Squid and scallops made easy

Niall McKenna's squid with peppers
Niall McKenna's squid with peppers Niall McKenna's squid with peppers

THIS week’s recipes are all about our great fish. It always amazes me how lucky we are to have such an array of produce available so close to home. Most people admit it is one of their favourite dishes to order when eating out, as mainly they are afraid to cook it themselves.

Fish and shellfish do come with lots of warnings but as long as it's fresh you can't go wrong. This squid dish has been on our menu at our James Street South Bar + Grill in Belfast for years; whenever, over time, we try try change, we end up putting it back on.

Everyone thinks squid is complicated but try this dish once at home and you will be amazed at how easy and quick it is to do.

The second dish is scallops, I love to serve these in the shell (once it has been cleaned). Great as a starter for a dinner party or even better cooked on the barbecue with our own seaweed butter.

I hope you enjoy this week’s dishes and look out for our next free cookery demonstration in April.

SQUID WITH PEPPERS

2 tubes squid

2 red pepper

1 yellow pepper

olive oil, for cooking

salt and pepper for seasoning

1 handful flat leaf parsley, removed from stalk

Wash and pat dry the squid with paper towels and cut into rings; toss in one tablespoon of olive oil and season. Heat a griddle pan or frying pan until hot; add in the squid for one to two minutes on one side, then turning over to other side.

Slice the peppers, removing the seeds, and add into the pan for the remaining two minutes; season with salt and pepper.

To serve, mix the squid and the peppers together. You can add some salad leaves but here I have just added some flat leaf parsley and a wedge of lemon.

SMOKED SCALLOPS WITH KELP AND COCKLES

(Makes four starter portions)

Flour Mix

150g cornflour

75g rice flour

50g potato flour

10g salt

5g ground white pepper

3g smoked paprika

8 smoked scallops

1kg fresh cockles

60g smoked butter

75g kelp (rinsed)

50ml dry white wine

2 cloves garlic (chopped)

10g parsley

10g dill

½ lemon

2 tablespoons brioghter gold rapeseed oil

salt/pepper

Sieve all flour ingredients into a bowl. Wash cockles and remove any that are open. Place finely chopped garlic, herbs, white wine and cockles in a heavy pot with a tight-closing lid on a high heat. Bring to the boil and shake the pot to encourage the cockles to open. When most cockles are open pour on to a tray and remove any that have not opened. Pick the cockle meat from the shells and leave to the side. Pass the cockle liquor through a fine chinois.

Place cockle meat in the flour mix just before frying. Place the strained cockle liquor in a pot and slowly add butter until a glossy consistency has been achieved to coat the kelp (this may not take all of the butter). When about to serve, add the kelp and season with salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Heat up oil in a non-stick pan over a moderate heat. Lightly Season scallops place add a pinch of smoked butter and cook for 1½ minutes on each side until caramelised. At the same time fry the cockles at 180C until golden brown, then place on a cloth to remove excess oil and season.

Remove scallops from pan and rest. To serve place kelp, cockle liquor in serving bowls add in the scallops and finish with the crispy cockles.

Smoked Butter with dulse

50 grams salted smoked butter

10g capers

20g dulse chopped

2 diced button shallots

10g capers

1 lemon juiced and fine zested

5g dill chopped

5g chervil chopped

5g flat leaf parsley chopped

Salt and pepper

Place all ingredients in a bowl; mix, season and refrigerate.

IRISH INGREDIENTS:

Scallops – Kilkeel

Cockles – Kircubbin

Kelp – Rathlin Island islanderseafood@gmail.com

Butter – Smoked Abernethy butter allisonabernethy@btinternet.com

Broighter Gold Rapeseed Oil info@broightergold.com