The fish-and-fruit combination always seemed just plain wrong to me. One culinary experiment too far, or maybe a leftover from nouvelle cuisine. But then you discover Thailand and its startling crab and green mango salads, or a plate of prawns with ripe mango in Kerala or the gooseberry purée served with grilled mackerel closer to home. It's not everyday fare, and nor should it be. I'm pushing the boat out for once.
Of course what seals the deal is the fact that some fruits, especially mango or melon, do love a little salt. Which is why Parma ham is so good with melon and why a little salt does wonders for a glass of mango lassi. The natural salty quality of some seafood, particularly shellfish, makes it a good pairing for some fruits.
We need to be careful here. Very careful. Apples, very crisp, maybe those with an aniseed note such as Ashmead's Kernel, are good with pickled fish such as rollmops; and I had a sumptuous yet refreshing dish of sea bass with grapefruit in a restaurant in Poland last year, but generally the watchword is don't. Or if not don't, then at least be prepared for a few raised eyebrows.
A rhubarb or gooseberry purée will take the excess oiliness out of a grilled mackerel, and I am sure other fruits would have the same effect, but the marriage is still a controversial one. The general rule is stick with sharp, under-ripe fruit and avoid almost anything too sweet. That said, a salsa of mango, as long as it contains a hit of lemon, is a fine base for scallops, as I discovered this week.
A good, sharp apple is a surprisingly successful addition to a prawn co*cktail. I keep the peel on. It's best with a russet. In Oslo last autumn I had shallow-fried char with grated celeriac and little cubes of fried apple alongside. Back at base camp I tried it with trout (semi successful) and then with a sea bass fillet (more the ticket). The trick, I think, is to use not too ripe an apple.
And then there's George Perry-Smith's salmon with currants. Now there's a dish worth looking up. Fish and fruit at its finest.
Crab, melon and basil salad
I used a Charente melon the first time I made this, but any ripe melon would be welcome. Watermelon, cool and refreshing, is very good with the sea-salty white crab meat, too. You could get more complicated with the dressing, but the simplicity of lime, basil and chilli works well here. I reserve the brown meat for a spot of toast.
Serves 2
melon 1.5kg, lusciously ripe
red chilli 1, mild
olive oil 2 tbsp
lime juice of a ripe one
basil leaves 12 large
white crab meat 250g
Slice the melon in half and scrape out and discard the juice and seeds. Cut the melon into manageable sections, then remove the flesh from the thick outer skin in short, thick slices. The shape is up to you, but I tend to go for short, finger-thick pieces.
Put the melon into a bowl, then seed and very finely chop the chilli and place it in a small mixing bowl. Pour in the olive oil and the lime juice, then shred or tear the basil leaves and mix them in with a little salt and black pepper. Put the melon pieces into the chilli and basil dressing and mix together gently, trying not to break the fruit.
Check the crab meat carefully for any fragments of shell. Place the melon on a serving dish and scatter the crabmeat over the top.
Scallops with mango salad
I know what you are thinking – I did initially – but the scallops, lemon butter and mango do work well. If you are feeling adventurous, that is.
Serves 2
For the salsa:
mangoes 2, ripe
chives 12
groundnut oil a little
sourdough bread 2 large slices
lettuce 1, medium sized
scallops 8-12, depending on size
butter 50g
lemon juice of half
To make the salsa, peel the mangoes and slice the flesh into large slices or chunks, depending on your mood. Put them in a bowl, then add the finely chopped chives, a trickle of oil and a little salt. Set aside to chill.
Cut the slices of sourdough bread into small pieces and toast lightly, then set aside. Wash the lettuce, spin or shake it dry then either use the leaves whole if they are small, or cut them into smaller pieces. Add to the mango.
To cook the scallops, melt the butter in a shallow, nonstick pan. Season the scallops and their coral with a little salt and some fine black pepper.
When the butter starts to froth, add the scallops and let them cook very briefly, then turn and cook the other side. They will take just a minute or two. Squeeze in the lemon.
Divide the mango salad between two plates, then add the scallops. Spoon over the lemon butter from the pan, letting it trickle over the mango and lettuce, too.
Gooseberry and ginger sauce for mackerel
A useful and seasonal recipe for grilled mackerel or salmon. The texture is coarse, the flavour both hot and sharp. It works for pork, too.
Enough for 6
gooseberries 400g
caster sugar 100g
elderflower cordial 4 tbsp
fresh ginger a piece the size of your thumb
Top and tail the gooseberries and tip them into a pan with the sugar and the elderflower cordial. Peel and coarsely grate the ginger and add it to the pot. Bring to the boil, turn down the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve with oily fish.
Email Nigel at nigel.slater@observer.co.uk or visit theguardian.com/profile/nigelslater for all his recipes in one place
