Gurnard is a traditional British recipe, based on Mrs Beeton's recipe of 1861, for a classic dish of boiled gurnard served with parsley butter. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Gurnard.
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This is a traditional British recipe redacted from the redoubtable Mrs Beeton's 1861 volume Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management, the classic Victorian cookbook.
Original Recipe
GURNET.
262. INGREDIENTS — 1 gurnet, 6 oz. of salt to each gallon of water.
Mode.—Cleanse the fish thoroughly, and cut off the fins; have ready some boiling water, with salt in the above proportion; put the fish in, and simmer very gently for 1/2 hour. Parsley and butter, or anchovy sauce, should be served with it.
Time.—1/2 hour.
Average cost. Seldom bought.
Seasonable from October to March, but in perfection in October.
Sufficient, a middling sized one for 2 persons.
Note.—This fish is frequently stuffed with forcemeat and baked.
Modern Redaction
The gurnard (also known as gurnet) is not the prettiest of fish, by any measure. Indeed, it's looks seem to count against it as an eating fish. However, those who have tasted gurnard often describe it as the 'chicken of the sea'. This particular recipe is redacted from the redoubtable Mrs Beeton's 1861 volume Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management, the classic Victorian cookbook.
Clean the fish thoroughly and use kitchen shears to cut off the spiny fins. Bring a pan of salted water to a boil (use 185g sea salt per 5l of water). Add the fish, reduce to a simmer and cook gently for about 30 minutes.
In the meantime, combine the butter and parsley until smooth. Roll into a log and chill in the refrigerator. When the fish is done, remove from the water, arrange on a plate. Serve with the parsley butter, cut into rings and accompany with anchovy sauce. Accompany with new potatoes.
This dish serves four, with a middle-sized gurnard enough for two people.
