Crab claws and whiting... a fishy meal for a seafood fan

DATE night is the perfect excuse for a home-cooked ‘dinner a deux’!

When you’re only cooking for two, you can afford to push the boat out for ingredients you wouldn’t necessarily be buying for a larger dinner party. This weekend, I’m splashing out, excuse the pun, on some tasty seafood perfect for a summer supper for two.

Fresh fish and seafood is one of Ireland’s gourmet strengths. Whilst fish only used to be eaten on a Friday in accordance with religious guidance, it’s now a regular choice on most menus any day of the week. And what a choice there is from Irish waters.

My dinner for two features crab claws, which you can buy raw and cook yourself if you feel brave enough! But for those less comfortable with cooking seafood, ready cooked and shelled crab claws are ideal for this supper. They are not the cheapest, but gorgeous as a treat. They come with the claw shell still attached, so you can hold them and nibble easily - I’ve spiced them with some garlic, ginger and a splash of soy for an oriental touch.

Serve them on the side of beautiful fresh fillets of Irish whiting - one of the best and cheapest fish on the market in my humble opinion! The whiting is grilled with lemon and seasoning. A simple contrast to the mildly spicy claws.

I’ve been scoffing peaches this week - plump and juicy and very fragrant. Combine them with mixed fresh berries in a lemongrass, ginger and lime syrup for a zingy fruit salad finish to this feast.

RECEIPT

Whiting fillets, €3 approx

Cooked Crab Claws 2 x 125g packs, €17.98

Soy Sauce 150mls, €1.09

Ginger, €1

Basil pack, €1.19

Total: €24.26

DESSERT

Mixed berries pack 200g, €3.79

Peaches 4 pack, €1.99

Lemongrass stick, €1

Fresh rootginger, €1

Apple juice 1ltr, €1.65

Total: €9

GRAND TOTAL: €34.69

Duo of Summer Seafood

Ingredients (serves 2) 2 fillets of whiting Butter for dotting Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper Juice of half a lemon Splash of olive oil 1 fat finger fresh root ginger, grated 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed Pinch of dried red chilli flakes (to taste) 2 x 125g vacuum packs cooked crab claws Generous drizzle soy sauce Few whole fresh basil leaves and extra lemon juice to finish Method Place whiting on a baking sheet and dot with butter. Season with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Place fish under a pre-heated grill and cook for a few moments till flesh is just opaque and flakes easily when pierced with the point of a knife.

While fish is cooking, heat oil in a pan and add crab claws with ginger, garlic and chilli.

Stir fry over medium for a minute, making sure the garlic doesn’t burn.

Add soy sauce and stir to coat.

Bring to bubbling and simmer for a minute or two till thoroughly heated through.

Arrange the whiting and crab claws on warmed plates and scatter with basil leaves.

Squeeze over extra lemon juice to finish Serve with new potatoes and greens.

Fragrant Peach and Berry Salad

Ingredients (serves 4) 1 stick of fresh lemon grass, finely chopped 1 fat finger of fresh rootginger grated Juice of half a lime 50g sugar 150mls apple juice 500g mixed berries of choice 2 ripe peaches Method For the syrup, place lemongrass, ginger and lime juice sugar into a pan and pour over the apple juice.

Heat gently, stirring, until the sugar dissolves.

Bring to bubbling for a few minutes.

Remove from heat and cool.

Halve and stone the apricots then cut into quarters. Place in a bowl with the mixed berries.

Strain the syrup and pour over the fruit. Leave for ten minutes to infuse flavours.

Serve as it comes or add scoops of your favourite ice cream on the side!

DRINK SUGGESTION

A GLASS (or two!) of rosé is a good match with the spiciness of the crab claws.

This weekend, I’ve gone for Aldi’s Portuguese Dao Rose 2021, which the writing on the front of the bottle says is ‘brimming with Atlantic crisp freshness’.

As we are bordered around in the west of Cork county by the Atlantic, which is teeming with tasty seafood, this wine is a perfect match for the crab and whiting.

It has lots of crisp redcurrant and cranberry fruit, with a bite of pink grapefruit to give a zippy finish.

Rosé makes a great summer sip with seafood. Try it with grilled prawns or a prawn salad, as well as this tasty duo of whiting and prawns.

From Aldi stores, €8.99 a bottle.