Market To Table

this morning i went to billingsgate market with my parents and my sister. billingsgate market is a big fish market on the isle of dogs. it is open tuesday-saturday from 5:30 in the morning until 8:30 in the morning. there are alot of vendors selling all kinds of fish, prawns, crabs, squid, mussels, and other seadfood. the market has a definate fish smell and the floor is very wet and slippery. it was fun looking at all the different fish. my mom's birthday is today so we were there to buy something for her birthday dinner. we bought two kilos of mussels and some tilapia that the fish monger reccomended. so for dinner tonight we made mussels stuffed with spinach and bacon and steamed mussels with a cream sauce. i grilled the fish whole and seasoned them two different ways. for dessert we had tiramisu with fresh blackberries from our garden. the blackberries made a nice addition to the tiramisu.




here are the recipes...

...recipe from the belgo cookbook
mussels with spinach and bacon

1 pound cooked mussels
1/4 pound fresh spinach
salt and pepper
1 small shallot, chopped
1 garlic clove, pressed
3 ounces cream
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated
bacon, chopped and fried

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and boil the spinach for 2 minutes. Drain and squeeze as much water out of the spinach as possible. Chop spinach finely.
Saute shallot and garlic in butter in a saucepan for 2 minutes. Add the cream, salt and pepper and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Add the chopped spinach to the sauce and cook for 2 minutes.
Place the mussels on a platter and spoon the spinach sauce over the mussels. Sprinkle the cheese and the bacon over the top. Put under a hot broiler for 2-3 minutes.

...recipe adapted from the belgo cookbook
steamed mussels in a cream sauce

2 pounds mussels, cleaned
2 bottles beer
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 stalks of celery, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, pressed
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup lemon juice
10 ounces double cream

Put the mussels, beer, onion, celery, and garlic in a large pot and cover. Place on high heat and bring to a boil. Cook the mussels until they have opened. This should only take a few minutes.
To make the sauce remove the mussels from the cooking liquid. Return the liquid to the heat and add the butter, lemon juice, and cream. Return the mussels to the pot and serve.

...my own recipe
tiramisu

3/4 cup espresso or triple strength coffee plus more
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brandy or Tia Maria
1 1/2 pounds mascarpone cheese
1/2 pound lady fingers
4 ounces grated chocolate
whipping cream, whipped

1. Line a loaf pan with wax paper.
2. Stir coffee, sugar, and brandy together until the sugar dissolves. Reserve 1/3 cup.
3. Mix coffee mixture into cheese.
4. Add more coffee to the reserved coffee. Dip some ladyfingers in coffee and place in the bottom of the loaf pan in a single layer.
5. Spread half of the cheese mixture over the ladyfingers and then sprinkle with half of the chocolate.
6. Repeat with ladyfingers, cheese, and chocolate.
7. Then end with one more layer of ladyfingers.