Fish is so good to have as part of a healthy balanced diet and I was very excited to be able to attend the fish masterclass at The Cambridge Cookery School, last Saturday. This cookery school is about 70 minutes away from my house, so still very local. There is a huge variety of fish available at our local supermarket’s and fish monger’s (if we are lucky to have a fish mongers close by), however living in Northamptonshire we couldn’t be further from the sea.

At the Cambridge School of Cookery the fish were delivered fresh that very morning from London’s Billingsgate market. Such a choice was available and the fish were so perfect and clearly fresh. Beautiful wide eyed mackerel with their shiny skins and freckled mottled coloured plaice. Our challenge for the day was to prepare an array of fish dishes as well as learn to fillet our round and flat fish.

Tine Roche, our course tutor and one of the owners was full of information and knowledge. If we were unsure on how to hold the filleting knife or skin the fillets or even became a little squeamish, she was there to help. Maria and Tracey also assisted with the pan frying of the mackerel and fish stock in the kitchen.

From a fish stock to a fish soup. So simple and ready to prepare. Filleted mackerel coated in seasoned flour and pan fired in very hot oil, simply delicious. Plaice. Such a beautiful fish, flat with orange flecks of colour. Plaice have four fillets. Two at the top and two at the bottom. Our masterclass also taught us the methods of cooking plaice En papillotte (in foil bags baked in the oven) and also simply breading the fillets first with flour, egg and then crunchy breadcrumbs, then pan fry. Simple methods of cooking fish.

There really are so many variations to cooking with fish and to have a fish stock can lead to a simple prawn risotto or adding in haddock, prawns and mussels can making a sumptuous soup. I have learnt now the essentials and basics on filleting and now feel confident to go ahead and make fish stock. It is best to not use oily fish to make the stock however. The plaice remains were perfect for out stock. Simply adding celery, carrots, onion, thyme, bay and the plaice remains, boiled for around 30 mins makes a wonderful stock.

This fish course has opened my eyes to using and cooking with fish and seafood more often at home and even trying a different type of fish for a change. Not forgetting sustainability!!

Almost forgot the best bit. We got to eat all of our delicious fresh fish dishes and finished off with a fabulous lemon tart filled with seasonal fruit. The end to a truly perfect day.

Fresh fish, mackerel

Tine Roche
The Cambridge Cookery School, offer a wonderful selection of classes from artisan bread making to pastry, butchery masterclasses (I fancy that one), fish, chocolate workshops,team building classes, vegetarian, Chinese, Persian, Mexican, baking for children and so much more. The kitchens are well stocked, spotless and beautifully positioned for a sunny day with large windows full of lots of light and warmth. A wonderful welcome awaits you, so have a look on the site below for course information.
For further details visit, www.cambridgecookeryschool.com or call 01223 247620.
On BBC Radio Northampton this Sunday at 10am, I will be talking FISH, the benefits, sustainability and not forgetting the Cambridge Cookery School.
Plaice on rye bread with our homemade remoulade.

Our group

Filleting plaice

Mussels ready for the soup pot!!

Carmela x

With thanks to Vanessa Kimbell for taking my beautiful mackerel pictures.