THE JOURNAL

Mr Vivek Singh’s sea bream wrapped in banana leaf with yoghurt rice. Photograph by The Cinnamon Collection. All photographs courtesy of the London Seafood Festival
Ahead of the London Seafood Festival – which kicks off for a second year on 12 June at Battersea Power Station – we thought we would ask three of the starring chefs for a taster of what we can expect from the event and the flavours they will be showcasing. From clams with chorizo by a Spanish master, to London’s most famous oyster purveyor’s take on cured herring, here are three new dishes to add to your repertoire.

Mr Vivek Singh
Chef and founder, The Cinnamon Collection

Mr Vivek Singh. Photograph by Mr Cristian Barnett
“It’s a perfect thing for the barbecue season, and full of vibrant flavours. Luckily, it can also be cooked just as well on a pan indoors if the sun doesn’t make an appearance, as often happens here, so pretty failsafe.”
Serves 4
Sea Bream Wrapped In Banana Leaf
Ingredients:
- 4 sea bream fillets, scaled and pin-boned
- 1 banana leaf, cut into 4 x 30cm squares
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 quantity Jerusalem couscous upma
Jerusalem couscous is an ideal accompaniment, but yoghurt rice, green mango and coconut chutney or kachumber (a spiced tomato, cucumber and onion salad) are also good for a barbecue lunch.
For the marinade:
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- Juice of 1/2 lime
- 1 green chilli, finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp karahi masala
For the spicy crust:
- 10 fresh curry leaves, finely shredded
- 6 black peppercorns, crushed coarsely
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp sugar
Method:
Mix together all the ingredients for the marinade, then rub them over the sea bream fillets and leave to marinate for 10 minutes.
For the spice crust, mix together all the ingredients in a non-metallic bowl to get a sweet, sharp, crunchy mixture.
Heat the banana-leaf squares on a hot heavy-based frying pan, or in the microwave for 30 seconds, until they are soft and pliable. Cover the fish fillets with the spice crust, then wrap them, one by one, with the pieces of banana leaf, taking care that they are well secured so that the marinade and spice crust don’t ooze out during cooking.
Rub the wrapped fillets with the oil and cook, firstly with the join side down on a low barbecue for 3 to 5 minutes on each side. You can open up the parcels to check whether the fish is cooked or not.
Alternatively, heat the oil in the frying pan. Add the wrapped fillet, cover and cook on a low heat for 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Serve the fish still wrapped in the banana leaf for your guests to unwrap themselves and appreciate the wonderful aromas.

Mr Richard Kirkwood
Group head chef, Wright Brothers

Mr Richard Kirkwood. Photograph by Ms Charlotte Anderson
“Herring is an underutilised British species of fish that is bang in season during the summer months. This simple recipe is perfect for a picnic, it can be made a couple of days in advance. Serve with a crusty baguette and a dab of mustard mayonnaise. It’s equally good alongside a barbecue as a light salad. Delicious!”
Cured herring with fennel, chilli and orange
Ingredients:
- 3kg herrings, filleted and cleaned
For the cure:
- 200g rock salt
- 80g caster sugar
For the marinade:
- 2 tbp caster sugar
- 300ml white wine vinegar
- 1 bulb of fennel, finely sliced
- 1 chilli, sliced
- Zest of 1 orange
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 star anise
Method:
Wash and dry the herring fillets. Mix together the rock salt and sugar. Lay the fish flesh side up in a tray and sprinkle over the cure. Leave in a cool place for four hours then wash and dry the fillets thoroughly.
Add 2 tablespoons of caster sugar to the white wine vinegar and warm until the sugar dissolves, adjust to taste, you want it to taste sweet. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the fennel, chilli, orange zest, coriander seeds and star anise to the vinegar and sugar. Warm the mixture over a gentle heat for a few minutes, then leave to cool. Pour the marinade over the fish and allow it to cool before serving.

Mr José Pizarro
Chef and owner, José and Pizarro

Mr José Pizarro. Photograph by Ms Emma Lee
“I love clams, whether served with jamon or just on their own with a splash of sherry or white wine. I always thought that chorizo would overpower the delicate sweetness of the clams, but to my delight, I was wrong – this is a must-try. The crispy chorizo adds a lovely texture and the smoky flavour from the pimentón de la Vera is a perfect match for fino sherry.”
Serves 4
Clams with chorizo
Ingredients:
- 1kg clams
- 75g chorizo picante, chopped into 1cm cubes
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1 large sprig of thyme
- 100ml fino sherry
- Crusty bread, to serve
Method:
Place the clams in a bowl under cold running water for 5 minutes. Discard any that won’t close.
In a lidded saucepan over a high heat, cook the chorizo in a little olive oil for 6 minutes, until caramelised. Using a slotted spoon, remove the chorizo from the pan and place in a bowl.
Add the onion, garlic and thyme sprig to the chorizo fat in the pan and fry for 10 minutes, or until softened. Increase the heat, add the clams and chorizo back to the pan, pour in the sherry, then cover with a lid. Cook for 3 minutes, or until all the clams have steamed open, discarding any clams that haven’t.
Tip into a large bowl and serve with crusty bread to mop up the juices.


Andalusia: Recipes from Seville and Beyond (Hardie Grant) by Mr José Pizarro is available now