West Kirby Today’s monthly columnist, Guy Lawrenson, is the proprietor of the hugely popular Seafood Shack on Dee Lane. Guy previously owned the What’s Cooking restaurant chain and earned his seafood stripes during lockdown by working at the renowned Bricklands Fish & Game in Chester and for national wholesaler Big Fish Little Fish, who own Bricklands amongst other fishmongers.
A few hints and tips to get you cooking and preparing meals with FISH!
Toast a slice of bread and spread mashed avocado on top. Top with cooked crab meat, chopped chives, and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Try grilling: With warmer weather in May, grilling seafood is a great option. Try grilling sea bass, swordfish, snapper or salmon for a delicious and healthy meal.
Make seafood paella: Our fish medley is a good starting point – add some king prawns, mussels, clams and good to go
Make a seafood chowder: Chowder is a creamy soup that can be made with a variety of seafood like crab, clams, and salmon. Add some potatoes, onions, and celery for a fab meal – we do ours with smoked haddock!
Make fish and chips: Salmon, hake, cod, haddock or try some Ling! –
Got an air fryer? – Slice up some potatoes, season and press that button
Make seafood curry: Use king prawns, hand dived scallops, and rope grown Scottish mussels, add in some curry powder, coconut milk, and vegetables like peppers and onions for a delicious and easy meal.
Use citrus for flavour: Citrus fruits like lemon and lime can add flavour to seafood. Try squeezing lime juice over grilled sea bass next time.
Experiment with spices and herbs: Spices and herbs like cumin, coriander, and thyme can add flavour to seafood dishes. Try experimenting with different combinations for unique and delicious dishes.
Don’t overcook your fish…
How to check if your fish is cooked
The wooden skewer
Gently insert the flat end of skewer through the thickest part of the fish, and if it goes through to the bottom of the fish with ease – its cooked! – If you feel any resistance, go another minute or so and test again.
The Thermometer
The internal temperature of the fish should reach 63°C to ensure it is fully cooked. Once removed from the heat, fish will continue to cook for another 10 degrees – remove the fish from the heat when the temperature is slightly below 63°C so that its internal temperature will rise, after resting away from the heat.
The fork
You can also tell if fish is done by gently pressing down on the top of the fish with a fork. If it feels firm to the touch, the fish is done. If it still feels soft or mushy, it needs to cook for a bit longer.
The eyes
There are also some visual clues to look out for when cooking fish. The flesh of the fish should be opaque and easily flake apart with a fork when fully cooked. Look at the colour of the flesh – salmon should be a light pink colour when cooked, while cod or haddock should have a white or off-white colour.
The timer
Set a timer and prevent overcooking or undercooking – set the oven timer for the recommended cooking time and check the fish using one of the above tips.
New branch!
Check out our new Seafood Shack at Premier Plants Heswall, Chester High Road CH64 3TH – open Wednesday to Saturday, 9am – 4pm.
Whatever you choose we are here to help you feel good with sea food.
The Seafood Shack can be found on Dee Lane and is open Tuesday – Saturday 9am – 4pm and Sunday from 10am – 2pm. Call 0151 625 0795, email fish@seafood-shack.com or visit www.seafood-shack.com. Guy is now serving breakfast and lunch on the terrace from Wednesday to Sunday, 10am – 3pm.
If you are a West Kirby Today newsletter subscriber at www.westkirbytoday.substack.com/ you’ll get a discount code in our newsletter each Friday giving you 10% off your bill at the Seafood Shack in West Kirby.
