GOING WILD FOR SALMON IN NORTH LONDON
Beautiful wild salmon from Walter Purkis - the man who has it covered in Muswell Hill and Crouch End.
I popped in there last week for a 1.6kg specimen, perfect as I wanted to do some curing and it was just beyond the £30 mark.
Actually that last picture shows the choice that was facing me on the fish counter - wild (nearest camera) or farmed (top of picture). You can see the difference clearly, with the wild looking sleek, with extended fins and good musculature from climbing up those streams. Or you can have fatty, spotted, with less definition. Put like that, it wasn't difficult to go wild.
Walter's son was there unexpectedly - he's usually to be found in the Crouch End branch. It was on his advice that I made a dash to buy, warming me that there wasn't much of it around this year, and there was only about a week left of the season.
"Also – you're going to struggle to find wild salmon from Scotland anywhere in England from now on," Purkis Jnr was telling me.
"What the..?", was my reaction.
"The Scottish Parliament has made a ruling to limit supply to England"
Yes it's really starting, folks. Independence is happening by stealth!
Anyway, I went back home and dug out a Rick Stein recipe that ordered me to cut the beast in half, debone and then cure with fresh dill, sea salt, sugar and white peppercorns. Wrap in silver foil and refrigerate. Leave for two days, pouring the liquid over the fish every 12 hours, then open and slice, the book told me.
It was delicious - but I'd leave out the peppercorns next time as they mask the subtle dill taste. But will there be a next time? Thanks Walter Jnr for giving me what might be one last chance!







