Where have the cuttles scuttled?

This day last year, the market floor was awash with cuttlefish ink...

as over 26000kg (26 tons) were landed by the end of the week - making a total of 244,000kg (244tons) since the season started in late September...

wind the clock forward a year and this morning three tubs (750kg) of cuttlefish from a single boat were up for auction on the market - making a total of around 6000kg (6 tons) for the same period as last year...

the grounds are fished by boats working from both Newlyn, Plymouth, Brixham...

and boats from further afield like Ireland, three of which are seen here heading for home off Lands End at the end of their trips this morning.

Mid-week market in Newlyn

Black as the night sky outside, tons of cuttles once again fill the market floor from both the the beam, trawlers that landed this morning...

so the amount of whitefish was much less than normal...

with just a few boxes or even just fish of each species...

with Dovers being amongst the most plentiful...

before being pulled away quickly...

along with a handful of sardines...

some just need sorting...

while the bulk of the morning's landings...

need something bigger than a box hook to move them off the market floor...

getting ready to land alongside the market at high water...

the Karen of Ladram

surrounded by 400kg rubs cuttles

the buffs that mark the end of each tier of nets are stowed away aft ready for shootiung the gear back...

there's al;ways one willing to strike a nonchalant pose for the camera...

as the last of the KOL buffs are put away...

all part of providing, FISH FROM CORNWALL...

Emily, one of the passing scallopers in the harbour for weather...

along with a wind-farm service boat staying clear of the gale-force gusts that blasted the Cornsih coast throughout the night...

two of the big sardine boats wait for a break in the weather before they can fish again...

along with two of Rowse's crabbers...

later in the day, those intrepid skipper Alan with the Ajax and Sid with the Karen of Ladram...

steam quietly away from Newlyn - both hoping it will be a good deal more comfortable than it was steaming through the night to catch the market this morning!

Mid-week market in Nelwyn.

The mid-week market is often full of small shots of fish from the inshore fleet like this smattering of monk form the New Harmony, a hard-won catch from off the Lizard...

or these banging bass from the likes of Cap'n Cod...

or these beautiful blonde rays from the trawler Shiralee...

and his sparkling plaice...

the only beam trawler to land was the Sapphire II who had decided to go with the cuttlefish...

while both the Gary M  and the Britannia V both put their trips of net caught MSC Certified hake ashore...

while outside the market the Girl Pamela takes on enough bait for a day on the pots - despite a scuffly forecast for the day as the back end of a front bringing wind and rain pass across the south west this morning.

Braised cuttlefsh with a warm salad, purple sprouting and ink vinaigrette - Chef, Nathan Outlaw.

Warm Salad of Braised Cuttlefish and Purple Sprouting, Ink Vinaigrette

Recipe courtesy of Cornish seafood chef Nathan Outlaw - currently at the St Enodoc Hotel in Roc and recently awarded two Mchelin Stars to boot.

For the Cuttlefish
1kg cuttlefish cleaned, prepared and left whole, saving the ink
1 onion, roughly chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
6 ripe tomatoes cut into quarters
600ml fish stock
100ml dry white wine


Sweat off the vegetables for 5 minutes in a pan. Add the wine and reduce to nothing and then add the fish stock. Bring the stock to the simmer and add the cuttlefish. Simmer for 1 ½ hours or until tender. When the cuttlefish is ready remove from the stock and allow cooling. Strain off the stock for the vinaigrette and cool. When the cuttlefish is cold slice into 2cm strips and reserve until serving


For the purple sprouting
28 nice pieces of purple sprouting


Bring a large pan of salted water to the simmer and blanch the sprouting for 2 minutes. Refresh in ice water and drain off. If you’re doing in advance place in the fridge. If you’re serving straight away don’t refresh just serve immediately.


Ink vinaigrette
2 finely chopped shallots
75ml red wine vinegar
75ml cuttlefish stock
150ml extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp cuttlefish ink


Add the shallots, vinegar and stock together and leave to stand for 30 minutes. Then add the ink and whisk in the oil. Season with salt and serve immediately.


Garnish
20g fine capers
4 sprigs of tarragon, picked
Squeeze of lemon


To serve
Warm the cuttlefish up in a bit of the vinaigrette, not to hot. Place the sprouting, capers and tarragon into a large bowl and then gently mix with the warm cuttlefish. Add a squeeze of lemon and season with sea salt and black pepper. Serve in bowl plate with a jug of vinaigrette on the side.

Put together the simple set of ingredients (plumped for tinned rather than fresh toms)........

one cuttle simmering slowly in the sauce........

sliced and ready to serve turned gently in with the purple sprouting (plus a few heads of broccoli)........

the starter was a failure - don't be tempted to pick mussels from Porthmeor Beach in St Ives, they are full of grit - the beach is way too sandy methinks!