Spaghetti con la gallinella. Gurnard is used mainly as a soup fish here. This recipe however serves it poached and flaked with spaghetti. This avoids the problem of navigating the numerous bones. When you’ve finished you’ll be left with a couple of litres of pretty good fish stock which is worth saving and would freeze well. Serves 4.
Spaghetti with gurnard ingedients
- 320g spaghetti
- 300g whole gurnard – cleaned
- Zest from 1 lemon
- Parsley – finely chopped
- 1 clove of garlic
- 100g small or cherry tomatoes – sliced
- Stock vegetables (Onion, carrot, celery)
- Olive oil
- Peel and chop the stock vegetables. Add to a pan with 3 litres of water and a large pinch of salt. Simmer for 30 minutes. You can omit this step if you are pressed for time.
- Add the fish and poach for 5-6 minutes. The fish should be starting to flake, but not dissolving. Remove the fish and allow to cool slightly. Strain and reserve the stock.
- Flake the fish taking care to remove all the bones.
- Mince together the lemon zest, the garlic and the parsley.
- Fry the fish gently in a little olive oil and add a little of the stock. Be careful not to add to much, you don’t want it too sloppy.
- Cook the spaghetti in the stock until al dente
- Just before the spaghetti is done, add the minced ingredients and the tomatoes to the fish and warm through.
- Drain the spaghetti and add to the pan with the fish. Mix well and cook for a further minute or so.
- Serve immediately.
spaghetti with gurnard finished dish
