Tinned fish board with toast, pickles, fennel & red cabbage slaw

Tinned Fish Board with Toast, Pickles, Fennel and Red Cabbage Slaw

Serves:: 4
Prep Time:: 5 mins

This is a recipe from Home Shores by Emily Scott (Quadrille, £28). Photography by Matt Russell. You can follow Emily on Instagram @emilyscottfood or visit her website

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Ingredients

2 x 120 g (4 oz) tins of Mount's Bay sardines escabeche

2 x 120 g (4 oz) tins of Bay mackerel in olive oil

2 x 115 g (3¾ oz) tins of Lyme Bay mussels in olive oil and garlic

1 medium jar of cornichons

1 medium jar of whole green olives, pitted

1 medium loaf of sourdough, sliced and toasted

unsalted butter

100 g (3½ oz) radishes

extra olive oil

lemon wedges

Fennel and Red Cabbage Slaw (see page 000 from Home Shores), to serve

Method

I love a tinned fish board almost as much as I love a cheese board. In fact, both are a good way of feeding a crowd and unexpected guests. So, a perfect storm of some of my favourite ingredients comes together. Perfectly preserved seafood in a tin is really something to be celebrated and to be enjoyed whatever the season. I recommend a tin per person and a choice of maybe three or four varieties – that way, there is plenty to hand around. I have chosen sardines, mackerel and mussels for this board. Of course, you can make it your own with different tinned varieties. Packed in olive oil is, in my opinion, the best, as the seafood will be full of flavour and ready to go. Anything pickled or in brine usually just needs an extra drizzle of olive oil or squeeze of lemon. Escabeche (preserved in a sauce with a kick) always pairs well with slices of feta cheese and extra green herbs. On a large, wooden board, display the tins and jars, and pop them open.

Serve with toasted sourdough, unsalted butter, radishes, extra olive oil and lemon wedges. I love using my fennel and red cabbage slaw (from my book, Home Shores) for layering on the toast too. A cheeky Martini is the perfect accompaniment.