Rick Stein’s Cornwall episode 11: Rick explores the beating heart of the postwar British modern art movement in the seaside town of St Ives, the home of leading artists such as Barbara Hepworth and Terry Frost.
At the Lizard Peninsula, known locally as the graveyard of all shipping, Rick heads out to sea to fish for a delicious seasonal visitor, the red mullet. And on the wild coast at Land’s End, Rick discovers that Cornwall has a rather unusual animal as its emblem.
In this new series Rick Stein reveals the Cornwall that he knows and loves: a unique part of the British isles with a strong sense of identity and a history rooted in its Celtic past. With his famous natural inquisitiveness, Rick shares the road less travelled – championing the food, history, music, art and culture of the county many locals argue should be a country in its own right.
Rick Stein’s Cornwall episode 11 recipes:
Whole sea bass with fennel mayonnaise
Seabass and the aniseed flavours of fennel and pastis are a perfect match. The mayonnaise would also work well with salmon or bream, and keeps in the fridge for up to a week.
Method:
- Slash each fish three-to-four times down both sides, rub them all over with the olive oil and season well, inside and out, with salt and pepper. Push some fennel herb into the cavities.
- To make the mayonnaise, in a bowl or food processor, whisk together the egg yolk, vinegar and a pinch of salt. Start adding the oil very slowly, literally a drop at a time – if you go too quickly the mayonnaise will split. Keep adding the oil in a very slow, fine stream until the mixture is really thick. Stir in the pastis, chives and fennel herb and add more salt if required. Set aside.
- When ready to cook the seabass, preheat the grill to medium. Put the fish on a grill rack and cook for 6–8 minutes, or until just cooked (they should be cooked through without having to turn them over). Use the crispy, browned side as the presentation side.
- Carefully lift the fish off the grill and serve with the fennel mayonnaise and some boiled new potatoes and salad.