The North Sea also has its seasons! From March to June the best spring fish and shellfish are original.
The North Sea Chefs Association conducts regular inventories with its members and fishermen to raise public awareness of North Sea fishing and draw attention to unknown and unloved fish species. Their slogan is “We should eat what the fisherman catches, not let him catch what we want to eat.”
The North Sea is also rich in diversity, with 53 fish species still living in it. However, in Belgium, most of the fish consumed still comes from abroad: 42% of imported fish products come from outside the European Union…
In spring, the best seasonal fish and shellfish are haddock, trumpeters and bats.
haddock
One of Chef Mathieu Bauder’s (Table d’Amis) favorite fish: “With haddock, or haddock as it is more commonly known, the possibilities are endless. You can cook fish like cod. And he smokes well. “I love to combine different techniques, the freedom this fish offers is amazing. »
trumpeter
Trumpeters or Trumpeters are sea snails. This is a delightful crustacean that deserves more attention. “Let’s make the trumpeter great again,” said Michael Vanderheig, chef at Hostellerie Saint-Nicolas, spontaneously. A word of advice: trumpeters are even better when boiled in their own broth. »
fruit bat
This small shark species is very suitable for eating. It is often confused with an eel, but the shark is a much leaner fish. “In addition to a very pleasant taste, the shark is also a little gelatinous,” explains Maarten Bukart from the Castor restaurant. “Which gives it a nice structure. I prefer to fry it with fish leftovers or leave the fillet to cook in the oven for a while.”
Original recipe: tube pasta
Ingredients for 4 persons Ingredients: • 250 g boiled porpoise • 500 g pasta (linguine or tagliatelle) • 1 finely chopped shallot • ½ garlic clove, minced • 1 piece butter • 1 drop mussel juice or white wine • 100 ml cream • 100 g dried tomatoes • A few slices of chervil • 1 tablespoon fine-stemmed parsley • 100g cleaned North Sea shrimp • Lemon zest • Lemon juice of your choice • Salt and pepper to taste
Training : Buy boiled porpoises from the fishmonger or cook fresh in broth. Remove boiled trumpeters from shells and chop finely.
Then heat a large pot of salted water on the stove and cook the pasta al dente.
Meanwhile, melt a knob of butter in a saucepan and sauté the shallots and garlic. Add the finely chopped clams and let them simmer for a bit.
Deglaze the pan with mussel juice or white wine. Leave for a few minutes to reduce, then add a good dollop of cream to the mixture. Cook everything until you get a thick and homogeneous sauce. Season with salt, pepper and a little lemon juice.
Add cooked pasta and toss with sauce. Make sure the sauce goes well with the pasta. Mix everything and use a spatula or meat fork to transfer the dish to a plate.
Finally, pour the remaining sauce onto a plate. Don’t forget to garnish with a few sun-dried tomatoes, parsley, as well as chervil, a few shrimp and lime zest.