CORNISH FISHERMEN’S STEW

This sort of dish would have been eaten by the fisherfolk of our coastal villages for centuries. I did not know for sure, what fish to use, so used pollack. A fish our forebears would have readily caught. It is a simple recipe that is made in 30 minutes, as so many old recipes were, when they needed a quick nourishing meal at the end of a long working day.

The use of cider as the stock gives it a very unusual flavour, but rough homemade cider would have been a staple in the store cupboards of our ancestors, made in the autumn when apples were plentiful.

1 pint dry cider

1 onion or two large shallots

tablespoon butter or oil [or half each]

4 oz field mushrooms, sliced [I couldn’t get any, so used Chestnut]

1 lb white fish, [approximately]  chopped into large pieces

1 tablespoon flour

a little double cream, if you wish

chopped parsley, [of course]

I sprinkled over some chopped chives too.

Place the cider in a saucepan and boil to reduce by at least a third. In a large fry pan, heat the oil and fry the sliced onions until just soft, then add the sliced mushrooms and then the fish. Stirring gently, add the flour to coat everything. Then pour over the hot cider. Season well with sea salt and fresh ground pepper and add the chopped parsley. Tip into an oven proof dish and bake in a medium oven, covered for 20-25 minutes. Before serving you can add a little cream if you wish. I am sure our ancestors would!!!  Absolutely delicious, as good as, or better than any modern fish dish.  I ate it for my lunch with a friend. Lovely with   fresh crusty bread to mop up the cidery juices.