LIVE FIRE COOKING AT THE OLD FISHMARKET
23/8/2022
Start cooking your halibut fillet by heating a well-oiled frying pan. Season the skin with salt and flour, and place into the pan skin side down, turning once after a few minutes. I always use a thermometer to ensure my fish if cooked correctly – look for 42 degrees.
Meanwhile, in a saucepan, sweat down some diced shallots in white wine; the shallots should be soft, but not coloured. Add butter and whisk until you have a nice sauce constancy, before seasoning and passing through a sieve. Finish with a squeeze of lemon, and serve with your halibut fillet and some fresh veg of your choice.
Turkey is what everyone is going to see for the next two weeks, so I’m going to hit up our fresh fish board – beautiful fish, cooked simply, and served with fresh salad or some chips, depending if you’re feeling in a healthy or naughty mood!
Brewed locally by Long Man Brewery, Old Man is a timeless classic ‘old ale’ that’s perfect for colder wintertime drinks with friends. Chocolate and coffee notes come from the malts, balanced with a subtle hoppiness. It’s darker than you’d expect from a cask ale, but fantastically moreish and endlessly sessionable at just 4.3% ABV. If that doesn’t hit the spot, then Fading Pines from Good Things Brewing Co surely will. As a 7.2% ABV West Coast-inspired IPA, I’d not recommend having a session on it, but it’s a rich, intense, full-flavoured corker of a beer.
It’s all about Atlantic halibut at this time of year! Available at Sankey’s Fishmongers in Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge, this showstopping fish will impress guests this Christmas, and can be pan-roasted or baked in the oven as steaks, or fillets are great poached or pan-fried.
The key to shucking an oyster is not to prize it with the oyster knife, but to gently turn the knife inside. There’s a muscle attaching the oyster to both sides of the shell, which you release by putting the knife in the gap at the top end, and wiggling it open. You should always have a cloth in your hand, and hold the oyster away from you, with the deep side of the shell at the bottom, and the flat side on top, so that it retains all its juices when you open it.
It’s Christmas party central at our Seafood Kitchen & Bar’s function spaces, while the bar is perfect for festive meet-ups. Plus, don’t miss Mount Ephraim’s Family NYE Funktion (details and tickets here).
The Pantiles is a shopaholic’s dream, so pop in for bubbles, oysters or a lobster or two, and enjoy our January offer of 20% off food by showing this email to staff at either site.
At The Fishmongers, we’re running a 10% discount on online orders and Christmas pre-orders until December 15, so use the code XMAS10 at our shop, and pick up some gift vouchers too.
Have you met Molly at Mount Ephraim? As one of the latest additions to the front of house team at Sankey’s Seafood Kitchen & Bar, she’s super-friendly, approachable, warm and welcoming, always delivering service with a smile to our customers. Whether she’s pouring a pint or waiting a table, she’s an absolute legend who’s more than happy to talk though what’s on offer, or simply chat and say hello to our guests!
Great food, great location
This is a stylish, chic, special venue. If you don’t like seafood and Champagne/Prosecco, don’t bother. If you don’t appreciate fine food prepared with love, stay clear! This is a special place for romance, business, celebration, or simply appreciation. Quiet, sophisticated, great service, and superb cuisine.
One of the best meals in a long time!
My husband and I came into Sankey’s the other day, and I can confidently say it is now one of our favourite restaurants in Tunbridge Wells! The atmosphere and food were incredible, and we both agreed we will definitely be returning.
“Sankey’s is my go-to for the fresh fish and shellfish I use in my recipes. They’re a community asset, and the quality of their fish is far superior to the supermarkets. The staff are friendly, enthusiastic and knowledgeable, and I always look forward to visiting.” – Anna Stanford, Anna’s Family Kitchen
Don’t forget to book your table at Mount Ephraim or The Pantiles – Christmas or otherwise – by calling 01892 511422, or clicking here. For The Fishmongers, call Tonbridge on 01732 600118, and Tunbridge Wells on 01892 511422, or email fishmongers@sankeys.co.uk
