The Seafood Shack: Food & Tales from Ullapool
The Seafood Shack is the title of this superb cookbook, and it’s also the name of a catering van which must be quite a considerable cut above the average.
Kirsty and Fenella opened the Shack in May 2016 with a plan to provide Ullapool with local seafood – and there is plenty of great fish in the area as it is located in a wonderful part of Scotland – Ross and Cromarty in the Scottish Highlands and around 45 miles from Inverness. Fishing boats land their catch in Ullapool but most of it was sold elsewhere. The Shack takes advantage of that fresh abundance.
The Seafood Shack: Food & Tales from Ullapool allows us to take a peek into the style of food found in the trailer, and that food is outstanding. One might expect a fish sandwich, or something deep-fried in a basket, but this is sophisticated food, and we can now replicate it at home.
The book is Gourmand Cookbook Award Winner 2020 and Winner of the Jane Grigson Trust Award 2020, and it’s no surprise. One meander through the pages will persuade the reader of the good taste of those judges. Each chapter tempts the home cook into the kitchen with inspired dishes made with ingredients which are readily available.
A seafood masterclass
The Seafood Shack: Food & Tales from Ullapool is a recipe book but it’s also something of a seafood masterclass. It is the perfect gift for those who want to eat more fish but have no idea how to start preparing it – seafood can seem daunting even to the most experienced of cooks, so some support would always be welcome. I could happily eat my way through every dish here. My favourites include Smoked Haddock Scotch Eggs, Lobster Mac and Cheese, Mussels in Creamy White Wine and Garlic Sauce, and Tempura Monkfish Bites. These plates would work for a casual lunch or equally a rather smart dinner party.
We won’t be travelling for a while, but I now have Ullapool on my bucket list. I’ll be making a pilgrimage to The Seafood Shack.
The Seafood Shack: Food & Tales from Ullapool
Authors: Kirsty Scobie and Fenella Renwick
Published by: Kitchen Press
Price: £20.00
ISBN-13: 978-1916316515