Rachel Khoo and the fishmongers in Trouville

Trouville sur Mer. Normandy

On Rachel Khoo’s Little Paris Kitchen programme (episode four of six) I loved the visit to Trouville’s fish market and in particular to the family run 150 year old fishmongers,  Pillet – Saiter (boulevard Fernand Moureaux, 14360 Trouville sur Mer) where Rachel cooked Moules Marinières with apple cider from Normandy and finished off with a dollop of crème fraiches and wowed the family Pillet - Saiter. As the camera tracked across the counters heaving with sea bass and crevettes, langoustines and bulots cuits ie: fresh whelks I could practically smell the ozone.  If you missed the programme it is still available to view on bbciplayer. Download it and view to your heart's content, like I did.

Rachel said that they had eight different types of oysters and ‘amazing looking lobsters – don’t put your fingers in there!’ Apparently one can’t get live grey shrimps in Paris and the ones she witnessed and made her so joyous, were pulled out of the water only an hour ago. Heaven!

The owner, Dominic, showed her how  to cook scallops in water. Not boiled but poached for two minutes because they were so fresh and to retain their natural sweetness. She made a mustard mayonnaise thinned out with water and vinegar. Trouville was such an attractive sight and place. I wanted to get on a train and go there straight away. Why don’t we have this type of venue in the UK? Perhaps once upon a fishing industry we did.

bulots cuits

I also loved the chicken cooked with lavender and lemon and the, ash covered cheese, pistachio and prune cake, and the super looking salade composée where each item complimented another.

 For more info about cooking with lavender check out this website. http://www.what-about-lavender.com/cooking_with_lavender.html