A CHEAP BUT TASTY WAY TO PREPARE SKATE
Skate should be allowed to sit for ten hours after being caught to allow the skins glutinous coating to dissipate and the flavour is more pronounced when the fish is slightly high!
This recipe’s cooking time approx 30 mins and requires the following ingredients.
4 servings.
2lb wing of skate
half a lemon
1 small onion
1 small bay leaf
2-3 peppercorns
3-4 parsley stalks
½ level teaspoon salt
3oz unsalted butter
1 tablespoon of white vinegar
1 level tablespoon of fine chopped parsley
Rinse the skate and pat it dry with kitchen towel and cut into 4 pieces, Place into ½ pint of water in a saucepan, peel and slice the onion and slice the lemon and add to the water together with the bay leaf, peppercorns, parsley stalks and salt bring to the boil slowly and then cover and simmer gently for a further 30mins. Remove the fish gently with a perforated spatula and arrange onto a hot serving dish. The sauce is made by heating the butter in a frying pan on low heat until browned remove immediately and stir in the vinegar and chopped parsley and pour over the skate Great with new potatoes and peas

Haddock Breakfast

1lb smoked haddock fillet
1pt milk
2oz plain flour
2oz butter
Salt and pepper
4 eggs
3oz cheddar cheese
After washing and patting dry the fish put into a large frying pan and cover with milk and poach it uncovered for 15 mins.
Then lift out the fish fillet and cut into 4 bits after taking off the skin. And place in an oven proof dish in a hot oven.
The milk the fish was cooked in is now used to make the sauce as follows.
Strain the milk and with the butter and the flour stir into a white sauce mix then add the cheese which is grated first
Poach the 4 eggs in salted water until just set then place an egg onto each piece of Haddock pour
the sauce mix over the pieces and place the dish under a hot grill for a couple of minutes until golden brown. Goes well with Leek or Spinach.

Scallops with Spuds

Cooking time approx 35 mins serves 4 or 2 if your hungry!
4 large scallops
¼ pint white wine (dry)
1 wedge of lemon
1oz butter
1lb potatoes
For the sauce
1oz plain flour
1oz butter
1egg yolk
2 tablespoons of double cream
salt and black pepper
Chopped fine parsley to garnish with

Remove scallops from shells (keep the shells to serve up in) and wash well under running water, Remove their beards and intestines, cut each scallop into 5 slices. Put ½ pint water into a pan and add the dry wine and the wedge of lemon and place the slices of scallops into the mixture and bring to the boil/cover with a lid and then simmer gently for about 20 mins.
Peel and boil the potatoes, Strain the mix through a colander keeping ½ pint of the fish liquid to make the sauce. Take out the lemon wedge and keep the scallops hot Make the sauce by melting the butter in a saucepan over a low heat and stir in the flour, add the ½ pint of saved fish liquid mixing until sauce is smooth.
Then bring to boil and simmer for 3 minutes Add into this the scallops and season to taste with salt and pepper, keep this hot on low heat Gently mix together the egg yolk and the cream and add these to the pan of scallops mixture.
Mash the potatoes and season them Pipe the potatoes around the outer edge of the shells of the scallops brush them with melted butter and place under a hot grill until potatoes brown, remove and place the scallop mix into the centre of each shell. Sprinkle with a garnish of fine chopped parsley and serve to your adoring friends

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