Grilled sardines, baked hake, baked haddock: Nigel

The less fuss, the better the result in these simple recipes that make the most of British seafood and seasonal vegetables

When I find beautiful, sparkling fresh fish, I treat it simply, preferring to grill it with a soft herb butter, make a fish sandwich with a soft bap or simply bake it with seasonal vegetables. For seafood, maybe a little cream and herb sauce, but the point is to let the fish and seafood be the star of the show. The less fuss the better, letting its freshness shine through.

Recently, I picked up Scottish haddock and Cornish hake in pristine condition at my local fishmongers and rushed them home for a simple supper. The thick steaks of hake were baked with a sweet-sharp dressing; a bag of cockles were steamed briefly, then tossed with cream, mustard and tarragon; haddock was roasted with tomatoes and peppers. Some fine and rather special halibut ended up with a verdant basil butter.