Blackened Shad

If you live on the East Coast, near a river, look out for the American shad in Spring, when it leaves the waters of the North Atlantic and makes its way up river to spawn.

If you are lucky enough to get hold of the roe, fill a smoke box with pre-soaked applewood chips and put it on the Weber. Smoke the roe on a very low grill for 25 minutes. A whole shad is delicious smoked this way too – again, the grill must be set to very low, and allow a couple of hours, refilling the smoke box several times during the process.

Serves 24

Juice of 3 lemons
6 lb American shad, gutted, spine and major bones removed
3 red onions, thinly sliced
1 1b mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 cup white wine vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1½ tsp salt
Black pepper
2 cups extra virgin olive oil

Make a marinade for the shad from the oil, vinegar, lemon and seasoning, in an ovenproof dish. Dip the fish in, skin side down, then turn. Sprinkle mushroom and onion on top, and make sure they’re covered with the marinade too. Allow to stand for a couple of hours. With the broiler as hot as you can get it, place shad skin side up under grill for up to 10 minutes until the skin begins to blacken and the fish is just cooked and moist. (If you are using an outdoor grill, again with it as hot as possible, place the fish skin side down on an oiled griddle and watch carefully as it cooks.) 

While the fish is cooking pour marinade into a wide-based pan or wok, and stir fryl over a high heat until the vegetables are soft and the liquid has reduce by half; season to taste and spoon over shad.

Served with boiled baby Yukon Gold potatoes and steamed asparagus.

Note: try to obtain the largest American shad you can, as deboning smaller fish is very hard work.

Salmon Parcels with Watercress Sauce

Ingredients for 8 people

2 x 16 oz sheets all-butter puff pastry
2 1/2 pound salmon fillet (2 smaller pieces will also work)

Mushroom filling:
8 oz mushrooms, finely chopped
1/2 cup sweet onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt and black pepper
1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
2 tbsp sour cream
1 egg, beaten

Sauce:
2 tbsp sweet onion, finely chopped
3 tbsp butter
1 1/2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups vegetable stock
6 oz frozen peas
6 oz watercress, chopped
6 tbsp sour cream

To make mushroom filling, heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large pan. Add onion and fry, stirring occasionally, over medium heat for 3-4 mins to soften. Increase heat and add mushrooms. Fry until the liquid has evaporated, adding the garlic towards the end with a garlic press. Season lightly. Add lemon juice then parsley. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream.

Place one sheet of pastry on baking paper on a baking sheet. Lay one salmon fillet on top and trim pastry to fit, allowing 1/2 inch of pastry all round. Spread the mushroom filling over the salmon, then place the second fillet on top like a sandwich. Season lightly again. Cover with second pastry sheet, trimming as before - it will take more pastry for the 'lid' because the fish-mushroom filling is thick. Dampen edges of base sheet and press top sheet on firmly to prevent leaks. Crimp edges of parcel. Now take the discarded pastry strips and use them to make a crisis-cross design over the top. Brush the parcel with the beaten egg. Place in pre heated oven (425 F) and bake for 30 mins, covering with foil if pastry starts to brown. When the pie is done allow it to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

While the pie is cooking make the sauce - melt the butter in a pan, stir in the onion and and fry for a few minutes until soft but not colored. Stir in flour and cook 1 minute, then off the heat slowly add the stock. Return to heat and cook, stirring all the time until the sauce has thickened slightly. Add the peas. Simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in watercress. Purée the mixture in a food processor. Return to pan, stir in sour cream and mint, check seasoning and reheat gently just prior to serving.