Sea breeze on the grill: fish from the southern North Sea
In the summer months, the Dutch North Sea coast is firmly in the hands of tourists and there is a hint of Frikandel Special, coupled with the smell of fries and poffertjes in the air. It is worth taking a look in the local fish shops, as the months from July to September are the most fish-rich times. Anyone who has booked a holiday apartment or set up a tent or caravan on one of the many campsites usually has decent barbecue equipment. Michelin-star chef and barbecue specialist Marcin Beaufort from Cadzand has put together the right recipes for us.
We meet Marcin Beaufort in the fishing port of Breskers in the Dutch province of Zeeland on the Westerschelde. It is the stretch of coast that the Netherlands shares with Belgium. The Terneuzer native has spent the last 20 years working in a variety of Michelin-starred restaurants around the world, including in Belgium, Great Britain and Australia. He loves regional dishes with honest quality and for him that naturally includes fish from the southern North Sea. For him, the combination of fish and grill is the epitome of an uncomplicated and very tasty summer barbecue. "I can get to the beach in five minutes by bike; this area is made for me," he explains with a laugh. Wherever he works, he seeks a connection to the sea and the fish that live here. For Zeeland, that means that he prefers to put squid, mackerel, sea bass and dogfish on the grill, but also mussels and crabs. This combines the slightly salty taste with the smoky aromas and the addition of an acidic component rounds everything off perfectly.
Michelin-star chef and barbecue specialist Marcin Beaufort.
Fish from the southern North Sea:
First, Marcin lets us take a look at what selection he received from his fishmonger early this morning:
- The small, slender catshark lives in the eastern Atlantic, from Norway to Senegal. It grows to a length of up to 1 m and weighs up to 3 kg. It is one of the most common shark species in Europe.
- The mackerel is actually a beautiful fish with its blue-green back and silver-white belly with blue-black stripes. The fish can reach a length of about 70 cm. It is a fatty fish, the flesh is very juicy and soft.
- Squid have been on the rise in the North Sea for several years, which is due to the warming of the water temperature as well as the decrease in
Cod and herring stocks, the natural enemies of squid. They grow up to 60 cm in size and have a short life cycle of about 1 year.
- The sea bass prefers to stay in small schools in river mouths, and therefore also in the Western and Eastern Scheldt. It can grow up to 1 m long and weigh up to 12 kg.
Marcin’s tips for perfect fish grilling:
1. Try preparing whole fish on the barbecue. They will have more flavor and the cooking process will be easier to control.
2. Always choose seasonal fish. They taste better and cost less.
3. Vary the preparation. Marinate the fish beforehand, grill it at a high temperature or give it more time by cooking it low & slow. Each method has its advantages.
Sea bass with fennel salad and baguette
INGREDIENTS:
• 2 sea bass of 800 g each,
ready for cooking, gutted and cleaned
• 2 lemons
• 1 onion
• 1 large fennel bulb
• Olive oil
• Garlic
• 5 sprigs of thyme
• 1 bunch of basil
• Juice of 3 oranges
• Juice of ½ lemon
• some sugar
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 baguette
PREPARATION:
Make a cross-shaped cut in the skin of the fish and rub it with olive oil, pepper and salt. Cut 1 lemon, the onion and the garlic into slices. Finely chop the fennel greens, roughly chop the basil leaves and pluck the thyme leaves from the stems. Put everything in a bowl and mix with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Leave to stand for a moment, then fill the fish bellies with it.
For the salad, slice the fennel bulb into thin strips. Bring the orange juice, lemon juice and a little sugar to the boil and simmer until the juice thickens a little. Add a little olive oil, salt and pepper and stir everything well, mix with the fennel vegetables and set aside.
Prepare the grill for indirect grilling and preheat to 160 °C. Slice the second lemon and place it on the grill so that the fish can rest on the lemon slices while grilling. Grill the fish for about 8 minutes on each side. Serve with the salad and some baguette.
You can find more fish grill recipes such as "Grilled squid with couscous salad and curry vinaigrette" in our recipe database!
