Fish and Seafood

Mussels and scallops should both get cheaper as quality falls towards the end of their season. Mackerel is often very good by the end of the month. Many flat fish are now spawning and consequently not good to eat, although brill, dab, flounder and lemon sole defy the general pattern. In the south-west of England plaice is not traditionally touched again until May Day.

The vogue for monkfish, which doesn’t really have an off-season, continues, although that old chestnut about it being substituted for lobster in restaurants is somewhat out-of-date now, especially with the high prices the fish can command in its own right. A stunning Provençal way of preparing a whole large tail, is to roast it, stuck with garlic and rubbed with olive oil, seasoning and herbs, as if it were a miniature leg of lamb.