The Parrot Fish Incident

Saturday was upon us and, as we occasionally do we ventured across the bridge to Cardiff.  We have family and friends there, the Waitrose is better than any in Bristol and there's Ashtons Fish Market in Cardiff Market.  We like fish, those of you who know us might consider this a massive bleedin' understatement, but we do ... so there.  This weekend was especially nice, we were greeted with something looking like this:

Seriously now, look at the size of that bloody Monkfish!  And those Plaice looked awesome.

Here we have the pile of Turbot, massive John Dory, huge Red Snapper and nestled at the back the intriguing Parrot Fish.  It looked rather like this:

... only much more dead.   Anyway, I seem to remember trying this in the dim and distanct past but couldn't for the life of me remember when so, as usual before buying fish I don't know, I phoned my mum :)

"It's delicious" she said, "we had it on holiday just baked.  Really nice"

That'll do thought I, so we bought it.  Two and a half kilos of the bugger, leaving this glorious filleted sight:

So, we had enough for three meals once portioned up, so what to do with it tonight.  A quick google found that it's popular in Spain so I made something up along those lines. 

Pan Roasted Parrot Fish with Chorizo and Butterbean Stew.

Here's how we made it.

Chorizo and Butterbean stew

2 tbspn Olive oil

2 Shallots – finely chopped

3 cloves garlic – finely chopped

60g Chorizo

1 squirt of tomato puree

1 tin chopped tomatoes

1 tin butter beans

Big pinch of chilli flakes.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Sweat off shallots and garlic in the oil

Add chorizo and fry until the oil changes colour in that very cool way that it does.

Add the tomato puree and cook out for 2 or 3 minutes. 

Add the tin of tomatoes, the butter beans and chilli flakes and season.

Reduce heat and simmer away for 20 minutes or so.

Recheck seasoning and serve.

For the potatoes

New potatoes, halved

Smoked paprika

Pre heat over to 180 C, leave baking tray in to warm up with some olive oil in it

Par boil the potatoes

Drain the potatoes and tip into the hot, oily baking tray and sprinkle with the paprika.

Place back in the over for 15 – 20 minutes until done.

For the fish

Parrot Fish

Salt and Pepper

Season the fish and fry skin side down in a pan for 2 or 3 minutes.

Cover with foil and transfer to the oven for 15 – 20 minutes until done.

----------------

"So?  What was it like?"  I hear you ask ... bloody lovely as it goes.  The fish itself was reminicent of Hake in flavour but flaked more like an extremly meaty cod.   The stew worked along well with the fish, just enough heat and sweetness to contrast ... and you have to love spuds covered in paprika and then roasted, no?

We'll definitely be on the Parrot Fish chomp again soon, and it was a bit of a bargain too.

We didn't have any suitable white in to go with the fish, so we washed it down with a bottle of Rioja afterwards.  Hey, it's Spanish .. what do you want from me :)

NOTE : Parrot fish skin is grim :)  It turns to glue.  You've been warned, OK? :)