Swanfield Industrial Estate

Recipe of the month

Sauté cod roe

Willie Little, Proprietor, Little’s Restaurant Blairgowrie and Fish in Crieff Fishmongers provides our recipe this month.

Willie said : “Something that your grandparents may remember eating is cod roe, the eggs of the cod fish - mousse-like, mildly sea flavoured, and delicious.

In those days it was very much a case of them not wanting to waste anything nutritious, but as an ingredient now cod roe is less well known, with many people unsure how to cook and enjoy it.

It is very easy to prepare and is really something of a delicacy now. Remember though, it’s only in season in January and early February, so why not try it as soon as you can. Most fishmongers will have some in stock.”

When the Phoenix on Broughton Street closed its doors for the final time the locals were incandescent: “What a tragedy!” they cried. “An injustice!” they wailed. If everyone who lamented the closure of The Phoenix had actually patronised the establishment the owners would have been doing cartwheels down Broughton Street having just booked their third holiday of the year to the Bahamas.

Here’s Willie’s easy and delicious recipe to make : • 200g cod roe per person • 100g capers • 200g butter • ½ lemon • chopped parsley • pinch of pepper

Heat the pan - but not too hot. Melt half the butter and gently place the cod roe, cook for two minutes, turn, and cook for two more minutes.

Add the remaining butter and allow to froth, then add the capers, chopped parsley, pinch of pepper and a squeeze of the lemon. Cod roe does not need salt.

Lunch at The Broughton with Kevin Geddes

www.littlesrestaurant.com

However, wanting to detest a traditional boozer which had become a restaurant and bar I was willing to hate The Broughton. Yet, on entering the comfortably designed space I had to weep a silent tear: it’s a bummer being wrong. The restaurant area is delightfully cosy, something lacking in one of the coldest parts of the country, and the service from the outset was incredibly friendly. As the owner is also the proprietor of The West Room and the Seafood Restaurant in St Andrews this shouldn’t have taken me aback.

My dining companion was Kevin Geddes, author of Keep Calm And Fanny On, a detailed and entertaining biography of the legendary chef, author and all round mistress of reinvention, Fanny Cradock. More of that in my food diary to your right.

To begin, Kevin chose the Roquefort Fritter, Pickled and Candied Walnuts and Pear, which he deemed ‘most tasty’, while I opted for the Duck Liver Pate, Fig, Hazelnut and Toasted Sourdough. It was sublime with both fresh and confit fig, and a lovely tart dressing to offset the smooth creaminess of the pate.

Kevin told me his Salt Baked Carrot, Quinoa, Smoked Ricotta and Hazelnut Spice which the chose as a main course was perfectly cooked and full of flavour. Being a vegetarian he says that he finds choosing from a menu slightly less hassle. What a chap! My decision was harder as there were so many choices, all sounding sublime. In the end I opted for the Natural Smoked Haddock, Olive Oil Crushed Potato, Poached Hen’s Egg and grain Mustard. There’s never a bit of smoked fish a poached egg can’t put a crown on and this one was of the best quality and unctuous.

Dessert was Pineapple Pavlova, Passion Fruit, Mint and Rum Syrup. It looked and tasted a triumph. “Fanny would have loved this!” Kevin declared. As did I. My new mantra: ‘Progress? Embrace it!’

My full review of The Broughton and full length interview with Kevin Geddes are online www. edinburghreporter.co.uk