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Mitch Tonks is founder of the Rockfish restaurant group and the family-run seafood restaurant The Seahorse in Dartmouth, where his son Ben is now chef-patron
I’ve been living on Cadenza, a 43-foot sailing boat, since October last year and I’m loving it, to the point that I can’t see in the near future why I’d move back on to the land. Every day feels like a holiday. I’m moored in Brixham in Devon, where we’ve got a Rockfish restaurant and where most of our fish comes ashore, but sometimes I’ll sail the boat over to one of the other restaurants — we’ve just opened in Salcombe, so I’ll be heading there for three days.
If I’m eating in a restaurant, I’m curious — the sort of person who orders a starter, a main, plus extra bits for the table. In the past I’ve been guilty of cooking like that at home too, but it’s just not worth it and on a boat it’s pretty much impossible. You end up with so many dishes, and so much washing-up. On a boat it’s less about cooking, more about assembling beautiful things. And you do all your prep in advance.
If you keep a small space stocked well — good wine, good cigars, good spirit, good food — it becomes a place you can go to to indulge in all the wonderful things in life. It’s like the old garden shed.
Fresh curd cheese with anchovies and tomatoes
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Toast the baguette slices in a frying pan over a low heat in olive oil, or serve fresh.
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Mix tomatoes, vinegar and oil with a pinch of salt (not too much, as the anchovies are salty).
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Spread curd cheese on the bread, spoon over the tomato dressing and lay an anchovy fillet on each slice. Finish with a sprig of tarragon, a crack of pepper and maybe a little olive oil.
Scallop crudo with sweet peppers
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Slice scallops into four discs each. Lay flat on a plate. Mix citrus, vinegar and oil — it should be bright, sharp and balanced. Season lightly.
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Spoon it over the scallops so they sit just in the dressing. Lay peppers over the top, tuck in sprigs of tarragon and dust with paprika. Let it sit for 20 minutes before serving, if you like.
Crab salad with fennel, radish and lemon
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Combine the fennel, radish, daikon and basil in a bowl. Add the crab gently.
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Dress with olive oil and lemon juice, season lightly. Mix carefully to keep the crab in nice flakes.
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Plate immediately with a spoonful of mayo on the side and a little drizzle of oil over the top.
Charcoal-grilled monkfish with braised courgettes and salsa dragoncello
For the salsa dragoncello
For the courgettes
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Butterfly the monkfish: place fillet with the tail facing towards you, then cut down on the right hand side of the bone, going two-thirds of the way through the fillet. Turn the monkfish over, and do the same on the other side — so you are creating a sort of “Z” shape. You could also leave it whole, but this way will improve the surface area.
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Blitz all the salsa ingredients until smooth but not puréed. Set aside.
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For the courgettes, gently cook in oil, water, garlic and chilli over a low heat, covered, until soft but not mushy. Finish with lemon and basil.
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Combine the crumbs, fennel and oregano in a bowl. Toss the monkfish in the mix. Drizzle with oil and a pinch of salt. Leave 15 minutes, then grill five to six minutes each side until the fillets start to split and flake. Serve everything in the middle of the table.
Roasted peaches and strawberries
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Lay peaches cut-side up in a roasting tin, sprinkle with sugar and pour over the grappa. Grill until soft and the sugar dissolves, add the strawberries, cover with cling film while hot and let them cool and macerate.
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For the syrup, boil sugar, vanilla, olive oil and water until dissolved. Add marjoram, cool completely.
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To serve, divide fruit between plates, spoon over some syrup and the roasting juices, then top with a spoonful of crème fraîche.
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