Spiced Salmon Pilaf

Recipe taken from the Lidl Easter Brochure – April 2021.

Serves : 4; Prep Time : 10 mins; Cook Time : 35 mins

Ingredients :

1 tbsp olive oil
4 salmon fillets
2 onions, finely chopped
A thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
1 tsp cumin
300g basmati rice
800ml vegetable stock
300g baby spinach
200g frozen peas
Small bunch of coriander, stalks finely chopped, leaves roughly chopped
1/2 lemon, juice only
2 tbsp flaked almonds, toasted
Onion and garlic dip

Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan (one with a lid) and add the salmon fillets skin-side down. Fry over a medium heat for 8-10 minutes, turning to cook each side, until just cooked through. Remove the fillets from the pan onto a plate, instead adding the onion to fry for 8 minutes. While the onion is cooking, discard the salmon skin and gently flake the fillets into large chunks.
Add the garlic to the pan and stir in the ginger for kick, cooking for a further minute, then stir in the cumin and rice. Stir well, then pour in the stock to give the rice added richness. Season and cover the pan with its lid, cooking for 15 minutes or until the rice is tender.
Add the spinach to the pan and cover with the lid, allowing it to wilt for 2 minutes, then stir through the peas, coriander stalks and most of the leaves.
Gently fold through the salmon flakes, squeeze over the lemon juice and serve scattered with the toasted almonds for crunch. Add a contrasting creaminess with some generous spoons of the garlic dip, garnishing with a final pinch of coriander.

Monkfish with Bubble and Squeak cake, garlic spinach, poached egg and cream sauce

Recipe courtesy of Hello Magazine many years ago.

Monkfish with Bubble and Squeak

Serves : 4

Ingredients – Bubble and Squeak :
6 medium potatoes, boiled and mashed
6 small shallots, blanched in boiling water until softened
1 parsnip, blanched and chopped
6 Brussels sprouts, blanched and chopped
450g (1 lb) green cabbage, blanched and chopped
Salt and pepper
Olive oil

Ingredients – Spinach :
A large bunch of spinach leaves, stalks removed
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed

Ingredients – Cream Sauce :
2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
15g (1/2 oz) clarified butter
150ml (1/4 pt) double cream
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp crème fraiche

Other Ingredients :
4 x 150g (5oz) pieces of monkfish tail fillet
4 poached eggs

Step One : Preheat the oven to 200oC / 400oF / Gas Mark 6. Mix together the potato, shallots, parsnip, sprouts, cabbage and seasoning with a dash of olive oil and spread out in a roasting tin. Roast for approximately 40 minutes until golden.

Step Two : Rinse the spinach and cook in a pan with the garlic and the rinsing water on the heat for a few minutes until wilted.

Step Three : For the sauce, saute the shallots in the butter until softened. Add the cream and bring to the boil. Stir in the mustard and whisk for 3 minutes before adding the crème fraiche.

Step Four : Fry the monkfish in a hot pan in a little olive oil, searing over a high heat on all sides to begin with and then lowering the heat or transferring to the oven to finish cooking.

Step Five : To serve, cut four round cakes from the bubble and speak and top with the spinach and monkfish. Place the eggs alongside and spoon around the sauce.

Wild Salmon Sashimi, Spring Onion, Shiso Leaf and Yuzzo dressing

Recipe taken from Hello Magazine many years ago.

Serves : 4

Ingredients :
700g (1 1/2 lb) salmon fillet, any bones removed
100ml (4 fl oz) yuzzo
Juice of 2 oranges
Juice of 2 limes
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp finely chopped fresh ginger
100ml (4 fl oz) olive oil
100ml (4 fl oz) Japanese soy sauce

To garnish :
Finely sliced spring onion
Japanese pickled ginger
Shiso leaves

To serve :
Wasabi paste
Soy sauce

Step One : Slice the salmon as thinly as possible and arrange on four serving plates.

Step Two : Whisk together the yuzzo, orange juice, lime juice, lemon juice, ginger, olive oil and soy sauce and spoon 2-3 tablespoons over each serving.

Step Three : Scatter the sliced spring onion, ginger and shiso leaves over the top and serve with wasabi paste and soy sauce for dipping.

Pan-fried Diver Scallops, baby fennel, tomato, lemon and coriander

Recipe courtesy of Hello Magazine many years ago.

Serves : 4

Ingredients :
50ml (2 fl oz) lemon juice, plus an extra squeee
150ml (1/4 pt) olive oil, plus a little extra for frying
1 tblsp crushed coriander seeds
4 bulbs of baby fennel
A handful of fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
8 plum tomatoes, peeled, deseeded and diced
Rock salt and black pepper
12-16 diver-caught scallops, depending on size, roes removed

Salad :
1 bag of rocket
A handful of chervil sprigs
6 tblsp vinaigrette dressing

Step One : Mix together the lemon juice, olive oil and coriander and leave for several hours.

Step Two : Blanch the baby fennel in a pan of salted boiling water for 3-4 minutes or until just tender but still with a little bit of crunch.

Step Three : Pour the lemon, oil and coriander mixture into a pan and heat until it comes to the boil. Add the basil, tomatoes, fennel and seasoning. Keep over a gentle heat while you fry the scallops.

Step Four : Heat a heavy non-stick frying pan, add a little olive oil and when very hot fry the scallops until coloured on one side. Turn over, season with salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice and colour on the other side, taking care not to overcook them.

Step Five : Spoon the vegetables and cooking liquid on to serving plates. Toss the rocket and chervil with the vinaigrette. Arrange the scallops on the plates and pile the rocket salad in the centre. Serve at once.

Tuna, red onion, potato and rocket salad

Recipe courtesy of Co-op Food Magazine.

Serves : 6 (as a side dish)

Ready in 30 minutes

Ingredients :
300g fresh tuna steak
1 tsp olive oil
650g baby new potatoes
1 medium red onion (chopped)
1 tblsp capers (optional)
1 bag rocket leaves

Dressing :
1 dessertspoon balsamic vinegar
1 tblsp olive oil
Juice of half a lemon
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard (optional)

Step One : Heat a griddle or frying pan until hot. Add a tsp of oil to the pan and then cook the tuna on both sides until done. Cool a little, then chop into chunks.

Step Two : Boil the potatoes in a separate pan of water, drain and mix in the tuna.

Step Three : Add the chopped onion and capers (if using). Put all the dressing ingredients into a clean jar and shake until emulsified the add to salad mix.

Step Four : Store in fridge or cool bag until needed. When ready to eat, toss the rocket leaves into the salad and serve.

Smoked Trout with Chicory, Apple and Almond Slaw

Flavours and textures that work together in the same way as Waldorf salad. Crunchy apple and leaves, toasted almonds and fresh dill, all delicious with the trout. If you want to make the slaw in advance, fold the sliced apple in some lemon juice before combining with the other ingredients to prevent browning, and reserve the toasted almonds until you are ready to serve.

Serves : 4

The Dressing Ingredients:
2 tblsp dill, roughly chopped
125ml (4 fl oz) soured cream or crème fraiche
A good squeeze of lemon juice
Seasoning, to taste

The Salad Ingredients:
200g (7oz) smoked trout fillet, torn into slivers
2 sweet apples, cored, halved and sliced into fine batons
2 medium heads of chicory, separated into leaves and finely sliced lengthways
2 heaped tblsp flaked almonds, lightly tasted in a hot, dry frying pan

Step One : Beat together the dressing ingredients and fold into the salad ingredients (reserve a few flaked almonds).

Step Two : Arrange a small pile of slaw on each plate, top with slivers of trout and dress with remaining almonds.

Linguini with Mussels and Walnut Parsley Pesto

A Delia Smith recipe taken from the Radio Times many years ago.

Serves : 4

For me, Mussels are still a luxury food that cost very little money. I don’t think anything can match their exquisite, fresh-from-the-sea flavour. In this recipe every precious drop of mussel juice is used which gives a lovely concentrated flavour. Now that mussels come ready cleaned and prepared, it make the whole thing very simple and easy: all you have to do is put them in cold water, then pull off any beardy strands with a sharp knife, using them as soon as possible and discard any that don’t close tightly when given a sharp tap.

Ingredients:
900g (2 lb) mussels, cleaned and prepared
175g (6oz) linguini or other pasta
1 tblsp olive oil
1 shallot, peeled and chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
175ml (6 fl oz) dry white wine
Salt and freshly milled black pepper.

For the pesto:
10g ( ½ oz) walnuts, chopped
25g (1oz) curly parsley, leaves only
1 clove garlic, peeled
2 tblsp olive oil
Salt and freshly milled black pepper.

To serve: 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Step One : First prepare the pesto: select a large pan that will hold the mussels comfortably, then in it heat a tablespoon of olive oil and sauté the walnuts in the hot oil to get them nicely toasted on all sides – this will take 1-2 mins. Place the walnuts and any oil left in the pan into a liquidiser or food processor, add the parsley and garlic, the remaining tablespoon of oil and seasoning, then blend everything to make a puree.

Step Two : Next you need to deal with the mussels: heat the olive oil in the same pan that you sautéed the walnuts in, add the shallot and chopped garlic and cook these over a medium heat for about 5 mins or until they’re just soft. Now turn the heat up high, tip in the prepared mussels and add the wine and some salt and pepper. Put on a closely-fitting lid, turn the heat down to medium and cook the mussels for about 5 mins, shaking the pan once or twice or until they have all opened.

Step Three : During those 5 mins bring another large pan of salted water up to the boil. Then when the mussels are cooked, remove them from the heat and transfer them to a warm bowl using a slotted spoon and shaking each well so that no juice is left inside. Keep 8 mussels aside still in their shells, for a garnish. Then remove the rest from their shells and keep them warm, covered with foil in a low oven.

Step Four : Then place a sieve lined with muslin or gauze over a bowl and strain the mussel liquor through it. This is very important as it removes any bits of sand or grit that get lodged in the shells.

Step Five : Now it’s time to pop the pasta into the boiling water and put a timer on for 8 mins (some pasta might need 10 mins so follow the instructions on the packet). Then pour the strained mussel liquor back into the original saucepan and fast-boil to reduce it by about one third. After than turn the heat to low and stir in the pesto.

Step Six : Now add the shelled mussels to the pesto sauce and remove from the heat. As soon as the pasta is cooked, quickly strain it into a colander and divide it between two hot pasta bowls. Spoon the mussels and pesto over each portion, add the mussels in their shells and scatter over the parsley. Serve absolutely immediately with some well-chilled white wine.

Classic Fish Bisque

Serves : 6
Prep : 1 hour 20 min
Cook : 30 mins

Ingredients:
8oz/225g shrimps or prawns with shells on
2 bay leaves
1 leek, trimmed and sliced
2 sticks of celery, sliced
1 carrot, sliced
6 peppercorns
2oz/50g butter
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
1oz/25g plain flour
2 tblsp/30ml tomato puree
3 tblsp/45ml dry sherry
8oz / 225g cod fillet, skinned
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 tblsp/15ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 tblsp/45ml double cream
Salt and pepper

Croutons:
4 slices white bread
3 tblsp/45ml olive
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 tblsp/30ml chopped fresh parsley
4 tblsp/90ml single cream

Step One : Peel the shrimps or prawns, reserving the shells and set aside. Place the shells in a large pan with the bay leaves, leek, celery, carrot and peppercorns. Pour over 1pt/600ml cold water and bring to boil. reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour.

Step Two : Strain the stock through a sieve lined with muslin and set aside. Melt the butter in a large pan and fry the chopped onion very gently for about 10 minutes, until softened. Sprinkle over the flour and cook, stirring for 1 minute.

Step Three : Gradually pour the stock over the onion, stirring until thickened slightly. Stir in the tomato puree and dry sherry. Add the peeled shrimps or prawns. Cut the cod fillet into bite-sized cubes and add to the pan. cover and allow the soup to simmer for 15 minutes.

Step Four : Stir in the cayenne and lemon juice. Allow to cool a little then liquidise in a food processor, in batches, until very smooth. Return to a rinsed out pan and stir in the cream and seasoning to taste. Heat through until almost boiling.

Step Five : To make the croutons, remove the crusts from the bread and cut into small squares. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the garlic for 1 minute. Add the cubes of bread and cook gently on both sides until just golden. Drain croutons on absorbent kitchen paper then toss in the chopped parsley.

Step Six : Spoon the fish bisque into warmed serving dishes, top with a few croutons and add a swirl of cream to serve.

Smoked Haddock Fishcakes

Home-made fish cakes really are worth every minute spent making them. For a change, try adding a few chopped cooked prawns to the basic mixture.

smoked haddock fish cakes

Makes : 10
Prep time : 30 minutes plus chilling
Cook time : 30 minutes

Ingredients:
450g (1 lb) floury potatoes
25g (1oz) butter
Salt and pepper
700g (1 1/2lb) smoked haddock fillet, skinned
100ml (4 fl oz) milk
125g (4oz) sweetcorn
Grated rind of 1 lemon
2 tblsp (30ml) each chopped fresh chives and parsley
Salt and pepper
50g (2oz) plain flour
2 eggs
125g (4oz) fine fresh white breadcrumbs
1 tblsp (15ml) sunflower oil

Step One : Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water until tender, drain well. Mash with the butter and season with salt and pepper.

Step Two : Meanwhile, poach the haddock fillet in the milk for about 10 minutes or until it begins to flake. Drain and break up fillet into large pieces.

Step Three : Add the cooked fish, sweetcorn, grated lemon rind, chives, parsley, salt and pepper to the mashed potatoes. Leave to cool.

Step Four : Shape the mixture into tend equal sized rounds. Season the flour. Dip each round into the seasoned flour, then the beaten egg, followed by the fresh white breadcrumbs to coat. Chill until ready to cook.

Step Five : Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan and cook the fishcakes for about 3-4 minutes each side or until they are golden brown. Keep warm in a low oven if cooking in batches.

Thai-Steamed Snapper

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies Magazine (Dec 2015) and taken from At Home with Umami: Home-cooked recipes unlocking the magic of super-savory deliciousness by Laura Santtini.

Umami translates from the Japanese to mean ‘savoury deliciousness.’ Santtini says umami is, ‘the ultimate expression of flavour; the extra mouthful-ness that makes us say “mmmmm”, the taste that keeps on giving long after its fellow basic tastes – sweet, salty, sour and bitter – are spent.’

Brilliant for a dinner party, you can also use this versatile marinade for fish fillets. This fish is ideal served with sticky Thai-style rice and a crisp green salad.

Serves : 4

Ingredients:

11 whole red snapper or other whole sustainable white fish (about 2kg), descaled, gutted and cleaned
4 limes (1 sliced)
1 bunch fresh coriander
1 bunch of spring onions, topped and sliced (reserve tops for stuffing fish)
1 sweet potato, diced into thumbnail-sized pieces
2.5cm (1 in) piece of fresh ginger, sliced
5 garlic cloves, peeled
3 lemongrass stalks, outer skin removed and roughly chopped
2 red chillies, deseeded (keep the seeds of half a chilli only)
3 tblsp toasted sesame oil
4 tblsp fish sauce
3 tblsp soy sauce
1 tblsp brown sugar or palm sugar

Step One : Preheat the oven to 200oC (400oF) Gas 6. Cut a piece of wide baking parchment twice the length of your fish. Fold the parchment in half and then open it, placing one half on a baking tray. Put the fish on the diagonal on the piece of parchment on the baking tray.

Step Two : Make slashes in the fish on the diagonal through the skin down to the bone on both sides. Stuff the cavity with a few slices of lime, half the coriander and the tops of the spring onions. Scatter sweet potato cubes and spring onion chunks around the fish.

Step Three : In a food processor, combine the rest of the coriander, ginger, garlic, lemongrass and chilli and blitz into a paste. Add the sesame oil, fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar and the juice of the remaining 3 limes and blitz again.

Step Four : Rub this marinade all over the fish and fold the other half of the parchment over the fish, wrapping the edges over to close tightly.

Step Five : Cook in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes. To test if the fish is cooked, remove from the oven and take a peek inside a corner of the parcel, but be careful because the steam will escape. If the eye of the fish has turned white, this means your fish is cooked.

Step Six : Open the parcel and serve large chunks of fish on sticky Thai rice topped with a large spoonful of the cooking juices – that is where move of the umami is.