The Dish 06.05.2018 ild garlic and British springtime: Scottish variegated mint are lobster, turbot, sea trout, plaice, sprouting on the brill and crab. “It’s nice to look Wriverbank and forward to the seasons,” says Rex swallows swoop overhead. My HOW TO Goldsmith, the owner, who waders aren’t wet yet. Instead, celebrates the arrival of spring Stuart Wardle is teaching me the by roasting the first trout of the importance of reading the river. year, serving it with Jersey royals, “There’s no point fishing where M ATC H new-season asparagus and there aren’t any fish,” the expert homemade mayonnaise. angler points out, as we happily Most of the fish in Goldsmith’s tramp along the bank looking for display have recently finished clues — a hatch of mayflies or YOUR their spawning season, and are birds divebombing for insects now back on his counter after bobbing on the water. months of absence. For a lot of “Everything in nature is linked,” native British species, the mating Wardle explains. Warm weather CATC H period falls over the start of the coaxes insects out of hibernation. year, which is why May signals a They feed on the new leaves, and springtime bounty — the fish have they, in turn, become a juicy meal finished replenishing their stocks for the fish. “I look forward to TO THE and are in prime condition for every season, but there’s the table. something special about late “You don’t want to eat fish spring — everything is bursting during the spawning season. into new life, and the trout are in SEASON They’re full of roe [eggs] and the prime condition.” flesh is a bit flabby,” Goldsmith Just as different fruit and Just as fruit and vegetables have explains. “Straight after the season vegetables have seasons, the same an optimum time to be eaten, ends, their flesh still isn’t in great is true for Britain’s native fish. nick because they’ve put all their Springtime isn’t just about so too do Britain’s native fish. energy into spawning, so you want asparagus and rhubarb — crabs Rachel Walker explains what we to leave them a few weeks to fatten are becoming more active, trout up,” he says, pointing to a have finished spawning and should be serving when particularly plump turbot. flatfish such as turbot and plaice It seems straightforward are fattening up. enough: avoid fish when they’re Generations back, when all spawning. The Marine fish were native and wild, Conservation Society (MCS) has a a fishmonger’s display changed seasonality table and app (mcsuk. with the seasons much like a org/goodfishguide/app) that greengrocer’s. Now, supermarket outlines roughly when this is. It’s aisles are more static: 80% of the a useful guide, but unlike fruit and fish we eat falls into a group vegetables — which experience known as the Big Five — cod, less seasonal shift — fish are haddock, salmon, tuna and prawns wildly unpredictable and loath to K, GETTY — 40% of which is farmed. And stick to schedule. C the demand for year-round The Michelin-starred seafood availability means that 68% of our chef Nathan Outlaw, who is based seafood is imported. in the southwest, knows just how The seafood displayed at the erratic wild fish can be: “Unlike Chelsea Fishmonger in London meat and poultry, seafood is highly tells a different story. Its seasonal, so it is variable and it street-front counter is an ode to isn’t always available when Chung/ trUNK, GALLERYSTO Jamie 34 • The Sunday Times Magazine The Sunday Times Magazine • 35 The Dish 06.05.2018 you’d like it to be,” he says. “We’ve outreach officer, uses the example actually noticed less consistency of North Sea cod to illustrate how in the seasons of certain species, each fishery has its own way of so it’s now not as easy as it used to protecting species during their be to predict what’s coming up. mating season. “Cod spawns in “We’ve always relied on specific pockets in the North Sea, talking to the fishermen, and so the fishery closes off those responding to what they’re areas,” she says, explaining that catching as opposed to trying to other fisheries might implement anticipate the seasons,” he adds. more widespread closures over “Some of my most successful specific time periods instead. dishes have been born out of It’s proof that it’s hard to go adversity — for instance, when a wrong if you’re buying fish from particular fish hasn’t been landed a responsible source. In the due to bad weather.” basement kitchen of Evelyn’s It’s an approach that he Table in Soho, the chef, Luke recommends to home cooks. WHEN FISH AND seafood ARE AT THEIR BEST Robinson, is cooking fish sourced Instead of picking a recipe, and direct from Looe Harbour. “It’s then shoehorning in out-of-season only day boats landing in the booming, making it a great fish, Outlaw says it’s best to go to BLACK BREAM choice — see the Eat market, so you know the fish hasn’t the fishmonger with an open June – March More Hake campaign been out at sea for days,” he says. Black bream will soon be mind. If a particular fish isn’t starting to arrive in shops. lobsTER “Most important, because the fish available, then a good fishmonger Eat instead of bass as October – June has been caught just off the should be able to recommend a stocks are too low Ask for pot-caught and Cornish coast, it’s hyper seasonal.” substitution from the same BRILL avoid females with eggs He is one of a growing number category: “oily fish”, “flat white January – January MACKEREL of chefs whose fish supplier is fish” or “round white fish”. Available year round, June – January listed on the menu — putting as a staple flat fish that Arrives in British waters much emphasis on seafood replenishes well vailability aside, what by early summer. Look sourcing as the cooking. Over the for handlined mackerel further complicates COD from the southwest or next few months, Robinson is buying is that a fish May – October MSC-certified northeast looking forward to mackerel, Once overfished, North Atlantic mackerel Abeing in a fishmonger’s Sea cod is back after sardines and British octopus: shop doesn’t necessarily mean it’s being taken off the “red MUSSELS “They’re smaller than Spanish in season. CJ Jackson, CEO of the list” in late 2015 September – February ones and need braising slowly in Billingsgate Seafood School, Rope-grown, farmed wine and garlic. Then we’ll tie it COLEY mussels are available explains that fish often get caught April – December year round, but it’s best up in a ballotine, thinly slice it and in a mixed net and are landed out Increasingly popular to avoid wild mussels serve it like a carpaccio.” of season. “Something like plaice alternative to cod over the summer The promise of native octopus will crop up in fishmonger’s CRAB PLAICE is just a small part of Britain’s year-round. Whether it’s the right April – September May – December seafood renaissance. It seems time of the year to buy it and eat it As the waters warm up, In the southwest, there there’s barely a restaurant launch is another thing,” she says. crabs and lobsters is a saying: “Never eat in the capital this spring that isn’t come closer to the plaice until it’s tasted Jackson says it often requires an coast to feed May waters” touting turbot as its signature expert eye to spot the giveaway dish: St Leonard’s in Shoreditch signs, such as the firmness of the DAB POLLACK (wood-fired turbot with raw June – February May – December fish’s flesh or sacks of roe, which Seine-netted dab from Look for handlined carabineros), Hide at 85 Piccadilly is why it’s always best to speak to the North Sea are top of pollack, an alternative to (steamed ikejime turbot with the fishmonger. “There might the latest MCS Good cod, from the Celtic Sea nasturtium) and Brat, whose very Fish Guide have been plaice available in SALMON name is an old English word for fishmonger’s for the past couple of DOVER SOLE Year round that fish (whole turbot roasted months, but if you’d asked about it, June – February Avoid wild salmon over an open fire). In “roe” now, back on the (netted June to August) they might have said that it’s ‘a bit menu in a month and opt for farmed It’s a reminder of how spoilt we skinny’, which would mean that the salmon from ethically are in Britain. “We’re an island fish was in roe and losing weight.” HADDOCK accredited sources nation with a great selection of Those without the luxury of a May – February wild seafood,” Jackson says. “But Back in its prime since SARDINES local fishmonger can use the spawning Late August – March as the global population increases Marine Stewardship Council’s Wait until late summer for rapidly, we’re going to have to (MSC) “blue fish” scheme. The HERRING sardines, or (adult) focus more on responsibly May – August (Scotland) pilchards label — a blue sticker with a white October – December sourced farmed products, which tick and outline of a fish — is (England) TROUT will take away a lot of the awarded to fisheries that have A commercial fish that April – October seasonality.” It’s a sad glimpse once supported whole Both sea trout and brown undergone rigorous assessments communities trout are in season into the future.