There’s been a lot of hype and buzz recently about the changing face of Brixton’s market arcades, with most being about Brixton Village (previously known as Granville Arcade). Jay Rayner from the Observer has written a couple of glowing articles on the new restaurants in it, with the result being an influx of those from all over London coming to check it out. Which is great in some ways for the area and a food obsessive such as myself.
However, I hadn’t been there for the past couple of weekends and went today for my usual food shop and was surprised by the sudden pop-up of many more new restaurants, but most noticeably the disappearance of some of the old grocery stalls from where I used to shop.
I like to eat out as much as the next person and I’m going to make it a mission to check out as many of these new restaurants as poss, ‘cos most of them look pretty good! But I also like to cook, so I hope really hope that Dagons fish stall where I’d bought tonight’s dinner will still be there when I next go back. The owner’s been trading since 1987 and said “We’re the best fish stall in Brixton.” I then mentioned a competitor’s stall where I also buy from, to which he replied “They’re good too, but we’re the cheapest!” and that they are.
Dagon’s Owner
I’d been eating a lot of heavy and rich food of late and was in the mood for something healthy and light. This dish ticks all the boxes.
Caribbean Steamed Fish recipe
Caribbean spiced fish
Ingredients
- 1 whole fish (I’ve gone for ‘red fish’ it’s a type of bream, but most white fish will work) small handful of pimento seeds
- 1 large onion
- 2 spring onions
- 1 carrot a few sprigs of thyme
- 1 lime
- 2 tomatoes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 bay leaves
- a handful of okra
- 1 scotch bonnet peppe
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 250ml fish stock
- 1 heaped tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
Directions
- Step 1 Heat oven to gas mark 6. Slice and chop onion, spring onions, carrot, tomatoes and okra. Crush garlic. Apart from the fish stock add all ingredients together in a mixing bowl and mix, leave to marinate for 20mins.
- Step 2 Transfer mix to an ovenproof dish, add stock and cover with foil. Place dish in the middle shelf of the oven and cook for 40 to 45mins. Done. Serve with basmati rice.
Great article Tash – glad you’re keeping tabs on the local green grocers – fingers crossed no more mysteriously disappear, eh! The food looks heavenly too – will definitely be trying out the fish dish 🙂
Thanks Anna.
Yeah, I much prefer shopping there than the bland supermarkets, so lets just hope that they don’t all get squeezed out.
Let me know how the recipe works, if you do try it.
Hey hun love the write up on the changing face of the old Granville Arcade, it’s good to see that Brixton is experiencing a culinary explosion, as long as it does not lose that old time flavour.
As for the fish, well it is my fave food ever and the picture has made my mouth water. I am going to have to call mom and get her to make me some of this hahahaha.
Cheers. It’s quite easy to make, you should give this one a go.