Great British Fish with Mitch Tonks

Our new columnist owns ten seafood restaurants in the South West and has just published his seventh cookbook. In his first column for GBF, he tells us the story behind one of his most surprising foodie passions

Seafood is something I live and breathe. I live and work in the seaside town and fishing port of Brixham on the South West seaboard, so I have no end of daily inspiration. From my market visits, time on the boat and chatting in the restaurants, my day is seafood – end to end! Food is a big part of my life; I’m lucky to have a big family of five grown up children that are close by so lunches are always being planned. If the children pop into the house, those lunches are very often the long ones!

One of my many seafood passions is tinned seafood. That may be surprising to hear, but it is something we have almost forgotten about in the UK – a walk past that section in a supermarket is not an inspiring experience. It’s very much seen as a backup for the larder. In countries like Portugal and Northern Spain it’s a completely different story; you can eat just about any seafood from a can. What I love about it is that it is a completely different experience to eating fresh fish, even the same species tastes different when from a tin. It doesn’t mean it’s worse, but that it is changed into something equally as delicious as when it was first caught. It’s alchemy!

A few years ago I decided I would put the great British seafood of the South West into the hands of José, one of Galicia’s finest canners. I started with Mount’s Bay Sardines, which I had prepared in olive oil. I couldn’t wait for them to arrive. Opening the tin for the first time was so exciting; there were two or three fish packed snuggly into each tin, with a slightly golden sheen from cooking. The size and quality of the fish meant they were moist, creamy, oily and with that distinct rich complex sardine flavour.

I eat them in so many ways. My favourite is to drain the oil and make mayonnaise with it, I add a pinch of cayenne or chilli sauce and a teaspoon of tomato puree then emulsify it with an egg yolk, I then use this to spread on toasted bread and crumble the sardines on top with some sliced red onion and capers. Another way is to blitz everything together and get a rough paté. For the best sardines on toast, grate some tomatoes, add a little sardine oil from the tin and some sea salt. Rub a piece of toast with a cut garlic clove then spread the tomatoes on. Add a sardine or two and then pop under a hot grill until the sardine bubbles. The oils and tomatoes change the bread into something unique; it’s a great supper.

This year I’m working with José to add flavours to the fish, including chilli, pickles and also olive oil. I have really developed a passion for British tinned fish, so I’m adding Torbay Mackerel, Brixham trap caught cuttlefish and Lyme Bay mussels to the range over the next few months. I love the idea of capturing some of the best seafood in the world when it’s at its best, plentiful and in season, putting it into a can and, like an alchemist, transforming something into something magical and precious.

mitchtonks.co.uk

Mitch Tonks’ Ultimate Sardines on Toast

If you’d like to try out one of Mitch’s fish recipes for yourself, then check out his sardines on toast. This simple but elevated recipe really showcases the taste and versatility of canned fish.

See Recipe