NORTH SEA FISH SOUP FROM THE LYGON ARMS

½  pound each: turbot, cod, scallops and monkfish

4 oz. peeled prawns

2 pt. fish stock, made from white wine, fish bones, prawn shells and water

1 oz. chopped shallot

1 oz chopped parsley

1 large tomato, skinned and seeded

½ oz. potato flour

3 egg yolks

½ pt. cream

Salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste

Skin and fillet fish.  Cut into large chunks and turn briefly in lemon juice to keep from discolouring.  Poach fish in stock until just done.  Lift fish into a tureen, add shallot, parsley, and tomato.  Slightly thicken the cooking liquid with potato flour.  Mix egg yolks and cream together and add to cooking liquid. Reboil.   

Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and nutmeg.  Pass soup onto fish.

     Serving suggestion:  serve with croutons made from 2 slices of white bread. 

        

Serves 6

Wine:  Chilled Don Zoilo Fino Sherry

CHEF’S TIP:  TAKE CARE NOT TO TEST SOUP FOR SEASONING AND TEXTURE WITH A TEASPOON OR BY DIPPING IN YOUR FINGER.  WHAT TASTES FINE IN TINY AMOUNTS IS OFTEN OVERPOWERING WHEN YOU ARE TO TAKE A BOWLFUL.  USE A SOUPSPOON OR A CUP.

Note:  Sounds about right to me.

From:  The Master Chefs of Britain Recipe Book, London, David & Charles, 1981.

Fullcircle Part 1 (John Buchan)

Between the Windrush and the Colne

I found a house of stone –

A little wicked house of stone.

  

        The October day was brightening toward late afternoon when Leithen and I climbed the hill above the stream and came in sight of the house.  All morning a haze with the sheen of pearl in it had lain on the folds of downland, and the visions of far horizons, which is the glory of Cotswold, had been veiled so that every valley seemed as a place enclosed and set apart.  

        The stone of the Cotswold takes curiously the colour of the weather.  Under thunderclouds it will be as dark as basalt; on a grey day it will be grey like lava but in sunshine it absorbs the sun.  At the moment the little house was pale gold, like honey.

        Leithen swung a long leg across the stile.

        “Pretty good, isn’t it? “ he said.  “It’s pure authentic Sir Christopher Wren.  The name is worthy of it too.  It is called Fullcircle.”