North Sea Gurnard with Westland Grape Salsa

Grapes have been grown in Westland since the 17th century. There's even a statue in Poeldijk to commemorate pastor Verburgh, who stimulated the cultivation of grapes in Westland. This recipe combines Westland grapes with North Sea gurnard by way of a refreshing and vitamin packed salsa.

This recipe has been translated from the original Dutch in Raapsteeltje and has been republished with the permission of the publisher.

Ingredients:

• 4 (North Sea or other) gurnard fillets, skin on
• 1 lb new potatoes
• 10 slices smoked bacon
• 2 cloves garlic
• --------------------------------------
• For the salsa:
• 5 large tomatoes
• 1 clove garlic
• 25 white grapes
• 5 radishes
• 1 red chilli pepper
• 1 large red onion
• 1 bunch flat leaf parsley
• Olive oil
• Salt

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 392 degrees F (200 degrees C). For the salsa, finely dice the tomatoes, grapes and the red onion. Crush and mince a clove of garlic. Finely chop the radishes and the parsley. Add everything together, and season with salt and a dash of olive oil. Halve the chilli pepper, remove the seeds and chop as finely as possible (try to avoid touching the pepper with your hands). Add the chopped chilli to the salsa.

Place new potatoes (washed but not peeled) in an ovenproof dish and drizzle with olive oil. Add finely chopped garlic. Cut bacon slices into chunks and mix it with the new potatoes and garlic. Place in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until cooked.

In a frying pan over a medium heat, fry the gurnard until cooked. Remove the potatoes from the oven, dish up onto plates and place the gurnard next the potatoes on each plate, along with a dollop of the salsa.

Serves 4.

Tips:

The salsa improves in flavor if you allow it to rest in the fridge for about five hours.

Use a whole chilli pepper for a very spicy salsa or only half a chilli for a slightly milder one.

Karin's Tips:

The recipe stipulates North Sea gurnard and Westland grapes, -radishes, -pepper and -tomatoes, but please substitute what's fresh and local where you live.

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