Scampi and Chips , yuk
Discussion
Last weekend we fancied the old pub favourite, scampi and chips .Ok perhaps one for the council thread !
My recollection of pub scampi was meaty tails in the crumb coating
So during w/e shop , a couple of packets of Young’s ( decent brand I thought ) breaded scampi ended in the trolley .
Well , what a load of rubbish .
The breaded lumps contained little or nothing in the way of scampi tails , tiny morsels of , well I am not sure , could have been part of a shrimp , who knows , just a soggy mess .
What a let down !
My recollection of pub scampi was meaty tails in the crumb coating
So during w/e shop , a couple of packets of Young’s ( decent brand I thought ) breaded scampi ended in the trolley .
Well , what a load of rubbish .
The breaded lumps contained little or nothing in the way of scampi tails , tiny morsels of , well I am not sure , could have been part of a shrimp , who knows , just a soggy mess .
What a let down !
There’s nothing wrong with good scampi. But as you say decent stuff is all but none existent.
I tried some of the gourmet scampi (proper tails) and it was very poor. Very thick batter and microscopic fish content.
Next time I got some of the much cheaper reformed stuff, and whilst not brilliant, it was far superior to the gourmet stuff.
I have now just resorted to getting fish fingers instead, great for a quick tea or even better in a buttie
I tried some of the gourmet scampi (proper tails) and it was very poor. Very thick batter and microscopic fish content.
Next time I got some of the much cheaper reformed stuff, and whilst not brilliant, it was far superior to the gourmet stuff.
I have now just resorted to getting fish fingers instead, great for a quick tea or even better in a buttie
We're lucky in these parts with some good chippers, such as The Bay in Stonehaven. They sell Scampi from Jimmy Buchans boat, the Amity, one of the boats on the Trawlermen tv series.
I've got a bag of Scampi bites in the freezer, which say a mixture of Cod and Scampi.... not quite what I expected when I threw them in the basket.
I've got a bag of Scampi bites in the freezer, which say a mixture of Cod and Scampi.... not quite what I expected when I threw them in the basket.
MXRod said:
No not fried , oven cooked , perhaps thats the problem
Part of it, yes. So many things that should be deep fried have been adapted by food manufacturers to oven cooking and it doesn't always work.As a treat, monkfish tail makes great scampi, in fact that was one of the original cheap versions.
But you do need to fry it. Flour, egg, fresh breadcrumbs, fry at about 180 until golden (not brown).
Jer_1974 said:
I posted this before on the photos of your dinner thread. I bought whole langoustine and made my own a few weeks back. Much better than the frozen crap you get.
Perfect, except that you appear to have sneezed onto the plate...ETA: I thought mushy peas was a Northern thing, then I looked at your profile - you're advanced Northern!
Back in the days of 'chicken in the basket' pub food, the introduction of 'scampi in the basket' was a winner even when the chef substituted them with monkfish as long as it was fresh and freshly cooked.
Like most seafood (and river fish), they are best eaten as soon as possible after being caught but the nuggets of filler and breadcrumbs with a minuscule amount of, laughingly called, 'scampi' that are sold in the supermarket are not the same thing.
Like most seafood (and river fish), they are best eaten as soon as possible after being caught but the nuggets of filler and breadcrumbs with a minuscule amount of, laughingly called, 'scampi' that are sold in the supermarket are not the same thing.
sunbeam alpine said:
Perfect, except that you appear to have sneezed onto the plate...
ETA: I thought mushy peas was a Northern thing, then I looked at your profile - you're advanced Northern!
Married a scouser. I didn't try them until I met her 20+ years ago and surprisingly not bad with loads of salt and vinegar. ETA: I thought mushy peas was a Northern thing, then I looked at your profile - you're advanced Northern!
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