AIL talks to: The Fish & Chip Shop

The Fish & Chip Shop is a new “posh fish and chip shop” with impressive credentials. Owner Des McDonald is the former CEO of Caprice Holdings, executive chef Lee Bull was previously head chef of Le Caprice, and in charge of front house is Tower Isho, one time general manager of J Sheekey. Lee tells us more about the restaurant.

“I started my culinary journey at The Ivy when I was just 16 years old. Des McDonald was the executive chef at the time and I have worked with him ever since.

Des has had the idea for The Fish & Chip Shop for a while now and was always talking about the lack of great fish and chips around town. We looked at so many different sites and areas before finally choosing Islington.

I think fish is more fashionable than steak and burgers. There are some truly fantastic fish restaurants around town where you have to wait weeks before getting a table. The waters of the British Isles are full of beautiful fish that is being fished properly, charities like the MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) are making great strides by educating people on the kinds of fish we should be eating, when to eat it and the correct fishing techniques. You also can’t overlook the brilliant health benefits of eating fish, Omega 3 is definitely a lot better for you than a cheeseburger!

I have never changed my process of writing a menu for any project I've worked on. Des and Tim Hughes (chef director of Caprice Holdings) taught me how to write menus early on in my senior career. At Caprice Holdings I would write the menu with Tim and we would bounce ideas around together before tasting them, first with the chefs and then finally with the directors, before the menu went live in the restaurant. Myself, Des and our Head Chef Steve Wilson spent a long time playing with this menu, visiting different fisheries and other suppliers to make sure it’s just right.

I’m hoping the ‘buttie’ section of the menu will be well received. We’ve spent a lot of time trying the different combinations - there is a fantastic Cornish crab bloomer along with our take on the traditional saveloy, which is one of my personal favourites. We’re also doing lobster bridge rolls, for which we’re using native Isle of Man lobsters, served in buttered soft bridge rolls with Webbs Wonder lettuce, plum tomatoes and fresh horseradish relish, finished with lemon, tarragon and extra virgin rapeseed oil dressing”.


Lee shares his recipe for Isle of Man crab salad with asparagus and pea shoots:

For the salad
300g of English Asparagus
30g of pea shoots (or watercress)
10g of English mustard
150g of picked white crabmeat (try not to use pasteurised if possible)
6 slices of English wholemeal bloomer or good quality brown bread
20g of good quality salted butter
50ml extra virgin rapeseed oil (or olive oil)
1 lemon

For the crab pâté
50g chopped shallots
10g peeled and diced fresh root ginger
10g finely chopped garlic
5g deseeded and finely chopped red chili
10g tomato purée
20ml sherry (or white wine)
50ml fish stock (use market or a stock cube if you wish)
150g of brown crabmeat (ask your fishmonger in advance, I’m sure they will be happy to help)
1 lemon
20g salad cream
20ml olive oil
Salt and pepper

Method
First of all start by making the crab pâté. Fry the shallots, ginger, garlic and red chilli in the olive oil on a medium to low heat for 8-10 minutes without colouring.
Add the tomato purée and cook for a further 4 -5 minutes, then deglaze the pan with the sherry or white wine and cook for a further 5 minutes or so.
Add the fish stock and bring to the boil, turn down and simmer for 10 minutes until reduced by half. Turn down the heat and add the brown crab before seasoning with salt, pepper and a squeeze of fresh lemon. When you are happy with the seasoning, move from the heat and whisk in the salad cream.

Cook the asparagus in salted boiling water for 3-5 minutes or until just cooked, then plunge into iced water. Drain and dry on a kitchen towel.
For the dressing, mix the rapeseed oil, English mustard and the juice of the lemon.

Spread a generous spoonful of the brown crab mix onto a plate and sprinkle with the picked white crab. In a bowl, mix the asparagus and pea shoots with the dressing and arrange over the crab and serve with the buttered brown bloomer – delicious!


The Fish & Chip Shop opened Monday 27th of May.