The fishy aperitif
Our friend Chris, with whom I cook regularly and dine almost weekly, has a serious allergy to any seafood. Rather than risk killing a dear friend, I’ve learnt to avoid fish products in my aperitif foods. However, when he's not dining with us, I love to go all out with a full spread of fishy nibbles. Pintxos Gilda I think it was Escoffier who advised to serve all fish or no fish at all on canap és. I wouldn’t be so strict as that, but it does seem to make some sense. I can’t imagine potted crab or smoked salmon tasting right alongside cured beef or chicken liver parfait. A mix of fish and vegetable dishes can work beautifully, though. The advantage of serving a selection comprised only of seafood dishes, of course, is that you know for certain they’re going to complement each other. Octopus on chicory leaves and bottarga eggs When deciding what to serve, think about balances and contrasts. Try mixing two fish and one shellfish or one smoked, one soused and one ...