Rick Stein’s Cornwall episode 29: In Newlyn, he meets two entrepreneur chefs who cook mackerel to perfection. In the town of Looe, Rick learns about a time when the Cornish were taken as slaves by North African pirates. He joins one of the last fishing boats in St Mawes and uses the catch of lemon sole to make a warm, delicious salad.
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 29
Rick Stein
Christopher Richard “Rick” Stein, CBE (born 4 January 1947) is an English celebrity chef, restaurateur and television presenter. Along with business partner (and first wife) Jill Stein he has run the Stein hotel and restaurant business in the UK. The business has a number of renowned restaurants, shops and hotels in Padstow along with other restaurants in Marlborough, Winchester and Barnes. He is also the head chef and a co-owner of “Rick Stein at Bannisters” at Mollymook and Port Stephens in Australia, with his second wife Sarah. He has written cookery books and presented television programmes.
After graduating, he converted a mobile disco in Padstow, which he had run as a student, into a quayside nightclub with his friend, Johnny. It became known for its freeze-dried curries. However, the nightclub lost its licence and was closed down by the police, mainly due to frequent brawls with local fishermen. The pair still had a licence for a restaurant in another part of the building, so they continued with that to avert bankruptcy.
Stein ran the kitchen using the experience he had gained as a commis chef. Eventually he converted it into a small harbour-side bistro, “The Seafood Restaurant”, with his first wife Jill in 1975. As of 2015, his business operates four restaurants, a bistro, a café, a seafood delicatessen, a pâtisserie shop, a gift shop and a cookery school. In 2007 threats against Stein’s businesses were made by Cornish nationalists. His impact on the economy of Padstow is such that it has been nicknamed “Padstein”.
Warm sole salad with tomato, avocado and basil
If you spot some really fresh sole at the fishmongers, grab it for this super-simple warm sole salad, with tomato, avocado and basil. It’s a delicious treat for a light lunch.
Method:
- Put the semolina on a plate. Season the sole fillets with salt and pepper and turn over in the semolina to lightly coat.
- Heat the olive oil over a moderate heat and shallow fry the sole fillets for a couple of minutes until lightly golden and just cooked through.
- While the sole is cooking, prepare the salad. Sprinkle the tomato with salt and leave for 2 minutes. Whisk together the ingredients for the dressing. Place the lettuce, avocado, basil and tomato wedges into a salad bowl and mix together. Drizzle over the dressing, then divide between two bowls.
- Tuck the pieces of warm sole among the salad leaves and serve immediately.
