Fish for Compliments – Celebrity

With a long list of accolades and awards to his name, you’d expect Mitch Tonks’ new book to feature some pretty impressive fish recipes. You wouldn’t be disappointed.

Whether you choose to whip up a batch of his Brixham calamari or get adventurous with Singapore crab, The Rockfish Cookbook engages and inspires, with everything from stunningly simple to creatively challenging dishes – as the 3 recipes on the following pages illustrate.

The latest in a string of recipe books authored by the former fishmonger, acclaimed restaurateur, chef and father of 5 (a list that makes you feel worn out just reading it) has been described as a celebration of seafood, sustainability and seasonality. It is also the first to be named after his soon-to-be 9 Devon and Dorset-based seafood restaurants, dotted along a coastline he views as producing some of the finest seafood in the world.

Mitch grew up in Weston-super-Mare, where early memories include helping peel and prepare shrimps and buckets of eels arriving at his grandmother’s back door to be boiled and jellied.

STEVE HAYWOOD

FROM FIGURES TO FISH

Fast forward to the age of 27 and Mitch, then a father of 2, found himself working in accountancy to pay the bills. Feeling somewhat frustrated with his career path and seeking change, he decided to head in an entirely different route by setting up a fish shop in Bath. That led to FishWorks, a restaurant upstairs. Which led to another and then another. Things quickly snowballed to the point Mitch had an award-winning 13site chain of restaurants across London and southwest Britain. The expansion proved too rapid however, and Mitch parted company with FishWorks FISH FOR in 2008, a year before it went into COMPLIMENTS administration. A DIFFERENT DIRECTION Undaunted, he moved to Dartmouth and established The Seahorse with two other partners. The stylish restaurant,

From selling fish, to cooking and writing which commands views of the River books on it, running seafood restaurants and Dart, has prided itself on sourcing the championing the fishing industry, Mitch Tonks very best produce, and was a winner of the Observer’s Best UK Restaurant has a passion for poisson award.

STEVE HAYWOOD STEVE HAYWOOD

ABOVE LEFT: Messing about on the water – Mitch says he would be happy to end up living on a boat in 10 years’ time ABOVE RIGHT: Poole gained a Rockfish in early 2020 and additional restaurants are also in the pipeline.

The other eateries that have gradually come under his charge - Rockfishes in Dartmouth, Torquay, Plymouth, Brixham, Exmouth, Exeter, Weymouth and Poole Quay – follow the same strong family ethos. A new Rockfish is also set to open in Salcombe next year.

Mitch remains a man on a mission. He is passionate about supporting the British fishing industry which was hit, for very obvious reasons during lockdown, with no restaurants or export market. His own boat, Rockfisher, supplies his restaurants, supplemented by fish selected from Brixham Fish Market.

By the time you read this, his new venture will be well underway, a virtual seafood market where users can buy directly from fishermen and fish merchants.

Kitchen magazine caught up with Mitch just as his restaurants reopened for the summer following lockdown.

Q. What are your hopes for the UK

fishing industry, after the impact of the pandemic and Brexit?

I hope we really start to value our fishing fleet and the quality of the seafood around the shores of the UK. It would be wonderful to think the nation was eating and enjoying the wonderful stuff we land here, rather than exporting that to other countries while importing other seafood (typically cod and haddock which is a British favourite still).

Q. Tell us about your new venture, Rockfish Seafood Experience Boxes and the thinking behind it?

When restaurants were closed, we wanted to connect with our customers and give them the Rockfish experience at home and the idea proved so successful we are carrying it on. We deliver a range of fresh seafood nationally every Friday, along with full instructions on preparing it.

Q. Do you feel the British public are growing in confidence when it comes to cooking fish and trying unfamiliar types?

Yes, I do - there are so many programmes, cookbooks and reasons to eat seafood and it’s definitely on trend.

Q. What would you advise as the top 3 essential pieces of kitchen kit when it comes to preparing and cooking fish?

Greaseproof paper, good oil and a roasting tray.

Q. Who are your greatest influences in life and work?

As I’m getting older, I find my children influence me an awful lot - I find them inspiring, great company and they make me want to be a better person and a better dad. My friend Will Beckett who founded the Hawksmoor restaurants is a brilliant role model and influence too. We have worked together on Hawksmoor and Rockfish, where he is our chairman, for about 8 years and in doing so we have discovered a wonderful friendship which I am sure we will enjoy throughout our lives.

Q. Your newest restaurants are in Weymouth and Poole. Do you have a favourite spot in Dorset?

I adore Lyme Regis, one of the most beautiful places in the UK. I went there as a child and often visit to enjoy the pubs, a walk on the beach and some fish at my friend Mark Hix’s restaurant

Q. Where do you see yourself in 10 years, and why?

Living on a boat somewhere warm, it’s always been my dream.

For more information on the restaurants or Rockfish Seafood Experience boxes, visit www.rockfish.co.uk.

Rockfish sits in a prime location on historic Poole Quay.

Crispy Fried Salt-&-Pepper Cuttlefish (Brixham Calamari)

I’ve wanted to put cuttlefish on the menu for a long time but always thought the word cuttlefish would put people off. So, I thought ‘Brixham calamari’ would be a fair way to accurately describe how it tastes and where it comes from. Get your fishmonger to clean the cuttlefish – it is messy – then wash well to remove the ink.

SERVES 4 AS A STARTER 400g cleaned cuttlefish 2 good handfuls of rice flour Vegetable oil for deep-frying 2.5 tbsp salt and pepper mix (see box out) 1 fresh red chilli, thinly sliced 2 spring onions, thinly sliced on the bias 1 lime, cut into wedges

1 Cut the cuttlefish into thin strips about the width of a pencil. Cut the tentacles into chunks. Put it all into a container of water. Place the rice flour in another container next to it. 2 Heat the oil in a deep pan to 170C. (If you don’t have a thermometer or deep-fat fryer, heat the oil in a deep pan – it is hot enough to fry the squid when a small piece of bread dropped in quickly fizzles and crisps.) In small batches, take the cuttlefish from the water and dip into the flour, giving it a good massage to get a sticky but light coating. Slip the cuttlefish into the hot oil. Fry for about 2 minutes or until firm, pale and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper. 3 When all the cuttlefish strips have been fried, put them into a bowl and liberally sprinkle over the salt and pepper mix. Give it a good shake. Serve sprinkled with the sliced chilli and spring onions, and with lime wedges.

THE LIST

Henckels Professional S 7”/180mm Filleting Knife RRP: £78.95 Harts Price: £59.21

SALT & PEPPER MIX

Put equal amounts of pink, white, black and Sichuan peppercorns in a pestle with the same quantity of sea salt flakes and give them all a good bash about until they are coarsely ground. Store in an airtight jar.

Tristar Deep Fryer RRP: £44.99 Harts Price: £39.95 Artisan Street Set of 2 Prep Bowls RRP: £9.95 Harts Price: £7.95

Pizza ‘Claminara’

This method was inspired by Pizza Pilgrims, the best pizza guys in London. During the lockdown of 2020 they launched an at-home pizza kit that fascinated me. I watched their video on how to make a delicious pizza in a frying pan. It was genius and it works!

MAKES 4 PIZZAS FOR THE DOUGH 7g sachet of fast-action dried yeast 500g strong white flour 325ml tepid water 1 tbsp olive oil 5g salt 5g caster sugar

FOR THE SAUCE 1kg live clams 100ml white wine 1 bay leaf 1 pepperoncini – hot red chilli 20g butter 20g plain flour 200ml milk 2 garlic cloves, grated A handful of chopped curly parsley

TO FINISH 1 tbsp grated Parmesan 1 mozzarella ball (about 125g), roughly torn

1 Make the dough by mixing together the yeast, flour, water, olive oil, salt and sugar. Knead on a floured surface for about 5 minutes to make a nice elastic dough. Place in a bowl, cover with a tea towel or clingfilm and leave to rise until doubled in size. This will take about an hour, depending on room temperature. 2 Knock the dough back, then divide into 4 portions. Pinch and shape each into a ball and leave under the cover of a towel to prove for 30 minutes. 3 To make the sauce, prepare the clams. First check all the shells are undamaged and tightly shut (or close when tapped). Rinse under cold running water to remove grit or sand, then put the clams in a pan with the wine, bay and chilli. Cover and steam the clams until they open, (about 2 minutes). 4 When cooled, remove the clams from their shells, keeping the meat and the liquid; discard the shells and any clams that didn’t open as well as the bay leaf and chilli. 5 Melt the butter in a smaller pan and stir in the flour. Cook for a couple of minutes to make a roux. Mix the clam cooking liquid and the milk together and pour gradually into the roux, stirring or whisking to make a smooth white sauce. Add the garlic and parsley and simmer for 3-4 minutes. The sauce should be creamy and quite thick. Add the clam meat and stir through. Set aside. 6 Shape each ball of dough into a disc to fit the pan you are going to use. Push up a raised rim all around. 7 Preheat the grill. Heat your ovenproof frying pan over a high heat and, when hot, place one of the pizza dough discs in it. Spread a quarter of the clam sauce over the pizza, up to the raised rim. Sprinkle with a little Parmesan and dot some mozzarella liberally all over the pizza. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until the bottom of the pizza is crisp. 8 Place the pan under the hot grill to finish cooking – the edges will rise and blister and the cheese will melt and brown. Once the pizza looks full of appeal, take it out and serve, then repeat with the remaining pizza dough discs and topping.

THE LIST

Pyrex Classic 1.0L Bowl RRP: £7.99 Harts Price: £6.74

James Martin Non-Stick 24m Frying Pan RRP: £72.00 Harts Price: £46.80

World of Flavours Italian Parmesan Cheese Grater RRP: £25.49 Harts Price: £22.95

Singapore Chilli Crab

If you have ever visited Singapore, you will have experienced the famous, very delicious chilli crab. It is the national dish. Easy to make, it is a firm favourite in the Tonks household.

SERVES 2 1 cooked crab, weighing about 1kg 4 tbsp cornflour Vegetable oil for deep-frying

FOR THE PASTE 8 fresh red chillies, roughly chopped 75g peeled fresh ginger, roughly chopped 4 garlic cloves, peeled 1 tbsp shrimp paste – you can buy this in Asian stores Vegetable oil for frying

FOR THE SAUCE 2 tbsp palm sugar or soft brown sugar 4 tbsp tomato ketchup 2 tbsp sriracha chilli sauce 1 tbsp soy sauce 200ml chicken stock 2 eggs, beaten

TO GARNISH 2 spring onions, finely sliced A handful of chopped coriander

1 Open the crab. Place it on its back, put your thumbs under the back legs and push up until the crab pops apart (this can be difficult, but it will open). Keep the top shell (clean and dry it) and the brown meat but drain off any water and discard the dead man’s fingers – the small feathery things on the body (you may also find some in the top shell) – and any membrane. 2 Pull off the claws, cut them in half and give the pieces a good crack so the sauce will be able to get into the meat. Cut the body into 6 by first cutting it in half, top to bottom, then slicing in between the legs so each leg has a clump of body at the end of it. 3 Put the pieces of crab body and claws in a bowl. Sprinkle over the cornflour and toss, making sure everything is completely coated. Heat the oil in a deep pan to about 160C. Working in batches, deep-fry all the pieces of crab for about 3 minutes. Drain on kitchen paper. 4 To make the paste, blitz the chillies, ginger, garlic and shrimp paste together in a food processor. Get a wok or large frying pan nice and hot, then add a little oil and fry the paste for a few minutes. Add the sugar followed by the ketchup, sriracha and soy. Stir together, then add the stock and mix well. 5 Add the pieces of crab and the brown crab meat and cook for 5-6 minutes. 6 Remove and place on your serving dish or in the crab shell, if using for decoration. Turn up the heat under the wok and stir the beaten eggs into the sauce. As soon as you start to see strands of white appear, remove from the heat and pour the sauce over the crab. Garnish with spring onions and coriander and serve.

Taken from The Rockfish Cookbook, £18, with photography by Chris Terry. Available from all Rockfish restaurants and therockfish.co.uk.

THE LIST

KitchenCraft Aluminium Lobster and Crab Crackers RRP: £5.49 Harts Price: £4.95

School Of Wok’s Wok Star 10.5”/27cm Carbon Steel Wok

Harts Price: £20.00

Mary Berry Signature 35.5cm Medium Oval Serving Platter RRP: £24.95 Harts Price: £19.95

CONTAIN YOURSELF

Whether you’re pickling, picnicking or storing leftovers to pick at later, the right container is an asset in the kitchen

Kilner Facetted Clip Top Jar 0.95L

Keep your pickles and preserves in perfect shape with Kilner’s vintage faceted design. The airtight clip system will ensure contents stay fresher for longer. RRP: £6.00 Harts Price: £4.20

Kilner Screw Top Spice Jar 200ml Set of 3 RRP: £3.00 Harts Price: £2.10

OXO Good Grips On-The-Go Condiment Containers Set of 3

Harts Price: £6.00

Pyrex Cook & Go Medium Round Dish An excellent addition to any kitchen, this dish is made from shock-resistant borosilicate glass and comes with a plastic lid that closes securely to create an airtight seal. The glass container is oven-proof up to 300C and both container and lid can go into the freezer to temperatures as low as -40C. RRP: £15.99 Harts Price: £12.59

Typhoon Monochrome 950ml Storage Jar Cork Lid RRP: £7.00 Harts Price: £4.90 Zyliss Twist & Seal 0.475L Container RRP: £8.99

Harts Price: £8.09

Kilner Signature Clip Top Jar 1.05L RRP: £7.00 Harts Price: £4.90 OXO Good Grips POP 2.8L Cookie Jar RRP: £14.00

Harts Price: £13.30

Lock & Lock 5 Piece Round Nestable Rainbow Set RRP: £23.99 Harts Price: £13.95

Lock & Lock Door Pocket Canister Square 1.3L RRP: £4.50 Harts Price: £3.95

Lock & Lock 1.8L Round Storage Container RRP: £4.99 Harts Price: £4.25

OXO Good Grips Steel POP Container Rectangle Short 1.6L Storage Container RRP: £20.00 Harts Price: £19.00

OXO Good Grips POP Containers are available in a wide range of shapes and sizes. In addition to food storage in the kitchen, they can be used for keeping studies, bathrooms and bedrooms tidy.

Lock & Lock 7 Piece Container Set The ultimate food storage solution, these handy containers are air and watertight, and safe for your microwave, freezer, and dishwasher. RRP: £29.99 Harts Price: £19.95

Pickled Summer Vegetables

This is an easy and tasty way to pickle vegetables for using in salads, sandwiches or serving with barbecued food.

MAKES ENOUGH TO FILL A 1L JAR

1 tsp coriander seeds Half tsp fennel seeds 200ml warm water 6 tbsp caster sugar 1 tsp fine salt 300ml cider vinegar 2 bay leaves Zest of half an unwaxed orange 400g fresh vegetables (such as radishes, fennel, red onion, carrots)

You will need a 750ml to 1L wide-necked glass jar with a lid, a Kilner jar or several smaller jam jars, thoroughly washed and dried.

1 Firstly, toast the coriander and fennel seeds in a dry saucepan for 1- 2 minutes over a low heat. Carefully add the water, sugar and salt to the pan and stir to dissolve.

2 Add the vinegar, bay leaves and orange zest. Bring the pickling liquid to the boil then take the pan off the heat and allow it to cool a little.

3 Meanwhile, wash then prepare and thinly slice the vegetables, making sure they are free of blemishes. A mandoline helps here if you have one. 4 Fill your clean and dry jar with the sliced vegetables then pour the pickling liquid over them. Put the lid on tightly and allow to cool completely before labelling and storing in the fridge.

Recipe taken from The Food We Love by Natalie Gerrelli, with photography by Tim Green, mezepublishing.co.uk, £22.

THE LIST

Kilner Preserve Jar 1 Litre

This iconic sealed jar is ideal for a range of tasks, including preserving, pickling and storing dry foodstuffs. RRP: £5.00

Harts Price: £3.50