Food! Stargazy Pie a Delightful Cornish Recipe. See why it's Star Gazy!
By Gypsy Willow
Mousehole Magic
More Mousehole Magic
Mousehole in Cornwall is tucked away in the very bottom western corner of Britain. The locals pronounce it mowzel It is a traditional fishing village where men go out in small boats to catch Sardines, Herring and Mackerel. A long time ago, there was a famine in the west country and no one had any thing to eat. It had been too rough to go out fishing A brave man called Tom Bawcock defied the odds and went out fishing. He brought back enough fish to feed the starving people and for ever more, December the 23rd has been called Tom Bawcock's Eve. To make the small catch go further, the fish were baked in a pastry case with the fishes heads poking out up at the stars, hence Star gazy Pie. The man was revered for saving the inhabitants lives and his festival is an annual attraction in Mousehole complete with illuminations and depictions of Star Gazy Pie in lights. The Ship Inn in Mousehole serves Star Gazy Pie on every Tom Bawcock's Eve
Star Gazy Pie Recipe
Short crust pastry, enough to make a cover and base for your chosen pie dish
Seven different kinds of fish ( This is traditional but it is usually made with Herrings, Sardines or Pilchards And need not be seven if a smaller pie is desired.)
Large chopped onion ... Salt and Pepper to taste.... Mustard or Horse Radish
3 tbsps of Chopped Parsely .... 3 hard boiled Eggs.... 3 Rashers Streaky Bacon
Egg or milk to glaze pie.
Method
Clean and gut the fish leaving the heads on. Line your chosen dish with short crust pastry.
Stuff the cavity in the fish with a mixture of chopped parsley mixed with mustard or horse radish sauce. Arrange them in the piedish with their heads pointing sky ward. Pack the gaps between the fish with chopped hard boiled eggs, chopped onion and chopped bacon. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Cover the dish with short crust pastry binding top to bottom by brushing the edges of the pastry with milk or water. Make the fish snug in the pie and glaze the top with beaten egg or milk.
Place in a hot oven at 400 F for half an hour. If the fish are large, reduce the heat to 300 F and cook a further fifteen minutes.
Serve with ceremony and Enjoy!
Comments
Yes I bet it's better to look the other way when it's being served to avoid the fishy gaze! Thanks for the comment, KCC
Holey moley! I may not be loving this dish, but I am SO loving the interesting recipes, history and folklore that you are sharing. Thanks!
Thanks, Irohner, glad you are enjoying them. I think the reproachful gaze may take a little courage to overcome!!
You would think that a guy who likes raw or pickled herring wouldn't be so squeamish, but it looks really spooky. Love the history lesson. This pie sounds easy to make, and I will gladly try it when it comes across my table. This was a fun read.
Hi Alexander, Glad you like the hub. i agree it looks very spooky even for someone brought up on the nursery rhyme " Four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie". The British Isles is full of weird food.....nothing wasted !!!
What a delightfully odd and interesting dish. Cornwall is so full of interesting things. Could you do a hub about Welsh food too? You are rapidly becoming one of my favorite Hubbers!
Thanks for the compliment, R V Glad you are finding the hubs interesting. I'll have a bash at Welsh food too.
The world around us is full of such interesting things that consists of life.
Too true,Kushal, it is a precious place.
I have to say I've never seen this arrangement before. Is there a particular wine or drink that is severed as a tradition with this dish?
Regards
Good old warm British Ale I would suppose! Any ideas yourself? Thanks for the comment rb11
Seafood generally is complemented with a white wine, Riesling (not from U.S.) is what I have had at times, but with such a salty flavor you might be right on with an Ale.
Regards
those are so cool looking. I love the little crayfish one and the idea of using seven different fish.
You really need to collect all these wonderful recipes for a book -- the mix of lore and food is enticing.
rb11 that is an excellent suggestion for modern times, thank you.
Hi Iounn. It is an unusual looking dish with the emphases on the looking!! :)
Teresa, thanks for the suggestion and comment, it had crossed my mind,
I may not try cooking this - but love the story. :)
Hi Judy, It is a bit daunting, isn't it. You will just have to go to Mousehole to try it! Thanks for the comment.
Gypsy, I love the unique dishes you present to us! This one is an eye-catcher for sure! lol I have much to learn about the local cuisine and you are doing a brilliant job teaching me! Thanks.
Hi Jodi, Glad you enjoyed reading about this unique dish. Hope all is going well for you in Wales. Thanks for the comment
I love Mousehole and luckily don't live too far away and get to visit often - they have some of the best fish restaurants in the world. Have you ever seen the film of the Mousehole cat?
Well, I'm wondering what the WV hillbilly I married is going to have to say about fish in a pie looking at him. Probably won't be repeatable and I'll have to depend on it tasting good to convince him, but is definitely looking like a LOL.
This one's a classic! The Cornish really are a unique people.
Hi Litany Notch thanks for the comment. I used to fish off the quay in Mousehole years ago, a magical place. I haven't seen the film. I shall seek it out .
Hi Jerilee, I'd love to be sitting at the table to see his face! :)
Hi Amanda, thanks for stopping by. The Cornish are a very special lot!
Tom Bawcock reminds me a little of St. Nikolaus .... taking care of the needy and all! While I grew up with German "Rollmops" I don't think I will try my hand it this recipe ... the whole raw fish thing ;-). Great read and photos, though!
Thanks for the comment, Zollstock. Hey raw fish is all the rage here, sushi rules! It's the eyes that get me with this dish!
Reminds me of the last time I made fish sauce from leftover trout heads.
Still, it might taste good.
I'll have to sleep on this one. :-)
That sounds brave! Sweet dreams Joy!
Excuse me, but your pies are staring at me...I think I am now officially "pie-eyed", :D. What a fun hub. Also loved the wildflowers - perhaps better than the pie-eyes.
That is so funny, RedElf. Strange dish isn't it? Glad you like the flowers too.
Very interesting meals! i have never seen anything like it!
Amazing isn't it? There is no end to human ingenuity! Thanks for stopping by Michael.
Interesting, but I'd have to leave off the fish heads! lol
Me too! Interesting story though! Thanks for stopping by.
I would serve this to some one down on their luck, just to say 'things are looking up'!
What a brilliant idea! Things were looking up for the original recipients of the pie too. Thanks for stopping by.
KCC Big Country 2 years ago
OMG....the crust looks devine!.....the fish heads on the other hand....OMG......bet it tastes great though! Thanks for sharing! I'll have show hubby this one. I'm sure he's heard of it.