Who'd have thought you could eat cormorant!

[Topcat02]

On the telly last week, I think it was Gordon Ramsay the TV chef, being presented with cormorant, which if I recall correctly smelt disgusting as it sat in its brine for a couple of weeks, stunk the house out as it cooked, but according to Gordon tasted great, just like fish.

Does anyone know the origins of the recipe, or whereabouts this speciality is/was available.

TC

 

[steve a]

Sorry but I think you will find it was a Gannet, which can only be collected by license as they are a protected bird. It was one of the Scotish islands but can't remember which.

 

[Fenlander]

On the telly last week, I think it was Gordon Ramsay the TV chef, being presented with cormorant, which if I recall correctly smelt disgusting as it sat in its brine for a couple of weeks, stunk the house out as it cooked, but according to Gordon tasted great, just like fish.

Does anyone know the origins of the recipe, or whereabouts this speciality is/was available.

TC

It was actually Gannet and can only be caught and cooked on the Isle of Lewis.

http://search.channel4.com/search?q=gannet&sort=date%3AD%3AL%3Ad1&output=xml_no_dtd&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&client=standard_c4&proxystylesheet=standard_c4

 

[jdlenton]

I think you can catch them on Harris too but i think Ramsey said he went to try it before it was banned completely maybe he was referring to an impending ban or just having a pop at the beaurocrats

James

 

[steve a]

More information here
http://www.defra.gov.uk/paw/publications/law/appendb.htm

 

[jdlenton]

well i never your only allowed to take them from a rock called Sula Sgeir

some bumf i found here
Sula Sgeir is a large rock about 17km SW of Rona. It has a large Gannetry and is also home to many other breeding seabirds. The Men of Ness annually harvest up to 2,000 young Gannets or guguas here. The island is split by caves which run right through the rock and which can be traversed by boat..

 

[bambodoggy]

Speaking hypothetically and therefore without regard for the law or morals you can pretty much eat anything that walks, crawls, swims or flies....

But that doesn't mean you'd want to or that you'd like it

Cheers,

Bam.

(P.s. Don't try this at home, there ARE laws you know!!! )