Pan‑seared Sewin from the River Usk
River Usk sewin runs peak in June and July along the Usk estuary
Sewin from the River Usk carry a nutty, oily flesh that stands up to high heat. Fillets are best taken from fish in the 45–70 cm class, skin on, with firm springy flesh. A simple pan-sear keeps the texture alive while the estuary flavours sing.
Shoreline cookup: salt‑baked watercress and laverbread
Salt-bake a handful of watercress by packing stems into coarse sea salt, wrapping in foil and roasting until wilted. Warm a spoonful of laverbread—Porphyra umbilicalis—gently with butter and lemon; it becomes a smoky, briny paste that pairs like toast by the tide.
Score the sewin skin, pat dry, season with sea salt and cracked pepper. Heat a cast-iron pan until just smoking, add a splash of oil and a knob of butter. Lay the fillet skin-side down; press to ensure contact. Sear hard, baste with butter and herbs, then finish skin-side up for a minute to the desired doneness.
Serve the fillet on the salt-baked watercress, a quenelle of warm laverbread to one side and a squeeze of lemon. Shoreline smoke and low-tide gulls are the final garnish, an evening scene that belongs to the Usk estuary forever.
Recommended: heavy skillet pan