As I planned for a post this week, I was finding an excuse to go
back to the wonderful Moxons Fishmongers on Bute Street, South
Kensington. Great service, great fish and there's just that satisfying
thing about trying to go against the supermarket grain and do your big
shop in all the farmers' markets, butchers, bakers, local grocery stores
etc. Especially when all the supermarkets are within a 2 minute walk
from your house, and they scream convenience. It's good to slow down in
London sometimes and make a morning out of it, planning, walking,
chatting to shopkeepers. Very un-London. However, my British politeness
got in the way this time, and I was so quietly angry with myself once I
had left the shop. Having to settle for some turbot as opposed to
another fish I was hoping for, the guy takes care, time and attention to
skin, fillet and deconstruct this whopping turbot. What he said was I
could get two fillets out of it, but it was a generous four
servings...three more than I really needed for a blog post in fairness.
And when it came round to paying, I just had to suck up £25 and pray I
wouldn't ruin the fish when I got home. Even my portioning for black cod
hasn't been that bad! Leaving the fishmongers slightly cheated and out
of pocket, I still find it annoying that I was so British about the
whole thing and just coughed up the money...
But
boy, did that turbot deliver. Soft, silky and delicate... I was glad
that I steamed the fillets to maintain it's juicy goodness.
We
are all familiar with black bean sauce, but so many of us turn to the
jar. Actually, in most Asian grocery stores the beans are stocked right
there. To make your own black bean sauce couldn't be simpler. Turbo
speed for a mid-week dinner - it only takes 7 minutes to steam. Quick
cook on your rice cooker, steam some asparagus in the last few minutes
in the cooker as well and you're good to go.
