Could You Cook up a Seafood Storm?

Budding chefs invited to show their skills in Queenie Festival cooking competition

Are you passionate about seafood? Do you have a flair for experimenting and creating your own dishes? If so, then you could take top honours at a Masterchef-style cook-off at the 2011 Queenie Festival (1st – 3rd July).

The festival organisers, together with the Isle of Man Seafood Development Partnership, are running a competition to find the best recipe featuring Manx Queenies, and are now encouraging the Island’s hidden culinary genuises to come forward!

With their subtle taste and succulent texture, Queenies (Queen Scallops) are a strong favourite with discerning chefs and seafood lovers far and wide. What’s more, as Manx Queenies are sustainably sourced, they leave a good taste in the mouth ethically, too.

So, to help celebrate its success, the festival wants to know your winning ways with the small but mighty scallop. From amongst the entries received, two finalists will be chosen to go head to head in a live cook-off at 4pm on Sunday, the closing day of the festival.

The judging panel consists of the renowned UK chefs and food experts who, as the festival’s very special guests, will also be giving talks and demonstrations over the weekend: Simon Wadham and Richard Kirkwood, Head Chefs at London’s Rivington and J. Sheekey respectively, and food writer/broadcaster Henrietta Green. Alastair Hamilton, head of the Seafood Development Partnership, will also be on the panel.

The judges’ final decision will be followed by a prize presentation, when the victor will claim a personalised trophy and £100 worth of Paddy’s seafood.

Sounds tempting? Entry forms are downloadable from the festival website here; alternatively, you can pick one up from Paddy’s The Quay in Port St Mary or Paddy’s at the Victoria Road, Douglas Shoprite.

The competition is open to people of all ages and abilities – the only essential is enthusiasm! In your entry, you must include: the name of your dish, full details of your methods and ingredients, and a photo of the finished dish. The recipe should take no more than thirty minutes to prepare. The closing date for entries is 20th June, at 3pm, so get cracking!

Marine award presented to queen scallop fishery

THE Isle of Man’s queen scallops fishing industry was officially honoured in London yesterday when the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) awarded a coveted MSC certificate as a sustainable and well-managed fishery.

The certificate was presented at an industry dinner in Fishmongers’ Hall in central London and follows a 21-month assessment of Isle of Man-registered day boats using otter trawls instead of the traditional dredges.

Presenting the certificate, Claire Pescod, UK Fisheries Outreach Manager for the MSC, congratulated the Isle of Man fishermen on their certification.

“The certificate include a number of conditions on the fishery which will build on the good work already carried out in the run up to, and during the assessment by the fishermen, Isle of Man government and processors. I am looking forward to continuing to celebrate MSC certified queenies on the Isle of Man at the Queenie Festival. ”

Queen scallops are prized by more and more restaurants and a number of celebrity chefs are now using them in their cooking.

John Shimmin MHK, Minister for the Isle of Man Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture said, “MSC accreditation of the Isle of Man queenie fishery has only been possible as a result of the close working partnership between government, fishermen and processors.

“All three parties have worked hard over the last few years to improve the sustainability and quality of Isle of Man Queenies, which discerning consumers can now purchase with confidence.

“I hope in the coming months that we will be able to extend this partnership, and in time that the whole of the Irish Sea queenie stocks will be able to benefit from measures similar to those introduced in Manx waters. ”

Billy Caley, ex-skipper and owner of Isle of Man Seafood Ltd, added, “Fishermen and processors here on the Isle of Man have worked closely together to ensure that only the best quality queenies are landed, with the remainder of the stock being protected for the future.

“This award is recognition of this hard work and we look forward to supplying the first MSC certified queenies when the season re-opens on June 1st. “

Chef Quirke’s Quick Queenies

We were getting into the festival spirit early so put together this short video of two of our favourite Queenie recipes to get your mouths watering. So get inspired and send us your favourite Queen Scallop recipe to our Queenie Recipe Competition.