A Box of Fish, Fish Recipes and Crabstock

I was lucky enough to recently be sent a box of fresh fish from the guys at  Andy's Kitchen and  Crabstock Fish Festival . They asked me to create some recipes that would hopefully help to get more people eating fish . The following recipes have been made from seasonal fish freshly caught. You can adapt them if you want by changing the fish you use. Enjoy.



Pollock with Pesto and a Black Garlic Crumb

Pesto sauce
1 medium bunch basil
1 medium bunch parsley
1 clove garlic
3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons ground almonds
salt and pepper to taste

Crumble
3 cloves Black garlic (available mail order from South West Garlic Farm)
30g stale breadcrumbs
1 large pollack (or 4x 150g -200g fillets)

If you have a whole fish then first of all carefully fillet it and trim it, removing any bones. (You could ask your fishmonger to do this). Then cut it into 4 equal sized portions.
Next make the pesto by putting the basil, parsley, chopped garlic, 3 tbsp.oil and the almonds into a blender. Add a little salt then blend until you have a smooth paste. If it is quite stiff add a little more oil but not too much that it is runny.

To make the breadcrumbs crush the garlic with the back of a round edge knife to a paste. Slowly work this into the breadcrumbs until mixed thoroughly.

Place the pollack onto a very lightly oiled baking sheet and season . Then put a layer of pesto and then finish with the crumb.
Place into a preheated oven 180o fan /200oC /Gas6

Serves 4

Oriental Style Baked John Dory
1 John Dory approx 500g
3-4 Spring Onions
1 stick celery
1" chunk of fresh ginger,grated
1/2 red pepper
1/2 stick lemon grass (outer layer removed)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon fish sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2garlic cloves, crushed

Make a few slashes through the fish skin ( not too deep, just enough to cut the skin) and put onto a very lightly oiled baking tray. Slice the vegetables into thin strips.
In a bowl mix the soy and fish sauces,the sesame oil and the garlic cloves.

 Mix in the vegetables until well coated in the sauce then lay over the fish. Put into a preheated oven
200o fan/180oC/Gas 5 for about 20 minutes until the fish is flaky and cooked.
Serve with egg noodles

Serves 2-3

If you don't like the fuss of fish on the bone just use fillets instead and reduce the cooking time

Crab Toasts 
2 - 3 slices of white bread
200g white crab meat ( or 2/3 white 1/3 brown if you prefer)
zest and juice of of 1 lime
1 spring onion finely sliced
1 small chilli ( or to taste if you don't like too much heat)
1/2 " fresh root ginger finely grated
1 egg white
1 tablespoon cornflour
30g sesame seeds
salt and pepper to taste
Vegetable oil for frying

If you are feeling brave you can buy a fresh crab and have a go at removing the crabmeat yourself. There are plenty of guides available on the Internet. If not the meat is readily available from fishmongers and supermarkets. I wouldn't recommend the tinned variety as it lacks flavour and can hold a lot of liquid.
Put the picked crabmeat (if doing yourself make sure there is no shell in it) into a bowl along with the lime zest and juice, spring onion, chilli, ginger, egg white and cornflour. Season to taste and mix together. Spread over the slices of bread and sprinkle over the sesame seeds. Press down firmly.
Heat 2-3 cm of vegetable oil in a pan. To check to see if it is ready for frying drop a cube of bread into it. If it sizzles then it is ready if not retry again with another cube of bread.
Carefully fry toasts on each side for 2-3minutes or until nicely browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Cut into triangles and serve with a chilli sauce.

Serves 2-3

Red Mullet with Rosemary Vegetables
1 small Red Mullet (approx 250g)
1/2 courgette
1/4 leek
100 g butternut squash
1 clove garlic
small sprig rosemary
parsley
salt and pepper
olive oil

 Fillet the red mullet ( or get your fishmonger to do this for you) .Cut the vegetables into thin strips and crush the garlic. Add some olive oil to a pan and stir fry the vegetables along with the rosemary for 3 - 4 minutes.Season. In another pan put a small amount of  oil and heat .Add the mullet skin side down (press down lightly with a spatula to stop it curling up) and cook for 1-2 minutes then turn over and cook for a further minute. Serve the mullet on the bed of vegetables sprinkled with a little fresh parsley.

 Serves 1

Barbecued Dover Sole and Prawns
 2 Dover Sole
about 12 large prawns
50g butter
1/2 teaspoon cayenne (adjust to more or less depending on if you like it spicier or no
t)
pinch nutmeg
lemon slices
fresh parsley sprigs
90 g packet Samphire

Soften the butter and add the cayenne and nutmeg and mix thoroughly.
Trim the fish of its tail and head .

Cut  a large sheet of baking parchment (enough to lay the fish on and be able to close the top into a very loose parcel) and lay one of the fish on top . Lay on the prawns then dot with half of the flavoured butter. Add a couple of lemon slices and a sprig of parsley. Carefully make a loose parcel from the baking parchment leaving a space for the steam to collect and seal at the top by wrapping over a few times. Make sure that there are no holes. Place on some tin foil on the barbecue . Cook for about  15- 18 minutes or until fish is cooked. Just before the end of the cooking time steam some samphire for 3 minutes.
When the fish is cooked turn out onto a serving plate and serve with samphire.

This fish can also be cooked in an oven if you don't want to barbecue it. 200o /Gas 6 for about 12-15 minutes or until cooked.
If you don't want to use sole you can change the fish to one of your choice.
Serves 2

Crabstock is a Unique Inland Seafood Festival bringing seafood to those who don't have fresh seafood on their doorstep. Its a chance also for people who have never sampled the delights of fresh seafood to have a try at some of the fresh fish on offer at the various stalls,vendors and demonstrations over the weekend of 25th and 26th July. So come and visit for more fish ideas and treats.

Sabrina Ghayour Supper Club

Recently I was extremely lucky to bag 3 seats on one of the last few  remaining supper clubs hosted by Sabrina Ghayour. Lucky in that within half an hour of these dates being released they were all snapped up. As a repeat visitor both my husband and I knew we were in for a fantastic culinary experience. This time we took one of our sons, who lives in London, along with us. He also is a fan of Sabrina's food after I bought her first published book Persiana. This style of cooking has now become a great favourite in our house since then with many of our own Persian feasts taking place.
The supper club was held in Sabrina's own home in London and consisted of 12 guests. We all brought along our own drinks for the night whether it was alcohol or not. The smell of the fantastic food wafting temptingly at us as we entered.  Whilst Sabrina was in the kitchen getting on with the last minute preparations and the cooking we were shown into her rather cosy lounge with some of the other guests who had already arrived. This was nice as we had a chance to get to know our fellow diners before our meal. It showed her great popularity in that not only had we travelled from outside of London but so had some of the other guests. One couple coming by bus from Cardiff and returning that night. As this had been the first supper club we had ever been to we were previously on the first visit unsure as to how we would feel dining with strangers but soon found that this is a fantastic way to meet people that you wouldn't ordinarily.
When all the diners were there we served a lovely cocktail to start (made non-alcoholic for those who were non drinkers) and then sat at the table to await 'The Feast'. I call this a feast as there always seems to be enough to fill you and then more.

 Firstly out came one of my favourites Maast o Khiar -Yogurt and cucumber with dried mint, Iranian golden raisins and rose petals along with a plate of flatbreads to dip. This is so lovely I could eat it on its own . Then one by one the other dishes appeared from the kitchen. Lamb, Herb and Sour Cherry Meatballs  served in a rich spiced tomato sauce (another favourite cooked at home). As last time these were in an ever so plentiful supply which was fine by us. The sauce is slow cooked and then the meatballs added and cooked some more so that the flavours are well developed to make it a delicious dish. Aubergine Chermoula a dish made from mainly aubergines with the addition of tomatoes, peppers and raisins with a sweet but savoury taste. A lovely vegetable dish  again which is extremely moreish. We also had a fantastic treat in the Vine Wrapped Baked Feta with thyme, lemon and chillies. I think most of us agreed that this was one dish that we didn't want to end . As each person tasted it there was noises of appreciation. We were  assured by Sabrina later that this was a very easy dish to make although the recipe wasn't in Persiana. It was most definitely one I shall consider making for the future even if only for Saturday night nibbles with wine. Last but by no means least on the starters was an Apple, dried Fig and Pomegranate Salad served with Mesclun Leaves and a pomegranate dressing. A lovely light dish that complimented the others.
 After we had eaten as much as we could whilst leaving room for the main course (quite a difficult thing as the food was so good you just wanted to keep on eating the plentiful supply that was there) we sat and chatted for a short interlude whilst waiting for the mains.
The mains well what can I say? If we thought there was a lot for the first course well the course was even more. First out was Khoresh e Ghormeh Sabzi which later we were informed later was a traditional Persian dish which we wouldn't find in the restaurants. Khoresh means stew and the sabzi refers to the herbs which were abundant in it. This was fantastic. The lamb cooked until tender in the stew packed with parsley,coriander and fenugreek along with sharp dried limes and kidney beans. It was a treat to be given this as its something that I really enjoyed. This was served with Chelow,Persian steamed Basmati rice complete with the delicious crispy tahdig crust. The lovely crispy base that occurs when cooking Persian rice. Which thanks to Sabrina's explanation my family now know about and I can no longer have it to myself as 'cook's perks'. But there was still more to come in the shape of a Courgette ,Potato and Saffron Kuku which is a baked frittata with potato,courgette,herbs and saffron (something that would equally be lovely made up and put in your lunchbox). Last but not least there was Mahi Shekampor which are whole roasted trout stuffed with a spicy,citrus-spiked herb and pine nut stuffing which went down very well not only with the vegetarian diner that was there but also with everyone else. This was my first taste of trout since starting to eat fish a few years ago. Previously I didn't like it at all but I found this dish extremely tasty and it would be one that I'd attempt at home.

After a brief interlude we were given some refreshing mint tea .This is a great after dinner drink when you  have perhaps had just that little bit too much as it aids digestion . We were all then asked who would like their dessert now or who would like to take it home with them. There was only one person who opted to take it home with them .They made the good choice because although the Spiced Carrot, Pistachio and Almond Cake served with rose water cream was absolutely heavenly it was also the defeat of many of us. It really is a wonderful cake which has no flour and is delightfully moist and not at all dry and served alongside the lightly perfumed cream I remembered why last time I really didn't want to take it home but half way through after eating so much food I also remembered why I took it home last time too.

At the end of the night we all waddled out of the door feeling very happy,full and content. Overall a truly wonderful experience. The food, the company and of course chatting to Sabrina herself who is actually really down to earth, very humble and friendly. If  you fancy trying out some of these recipes Persiana is  still widely available.
But why write a blog on a supper club that is no more you might say. Well although Sabrina will no longer be hosting supper clubs from her own home there will be chance to eat her wonderful food. She is not taking the restaurant route but is planning many pop ups both here and in Europe. She is also busily hosting new cookery classes where at some after being shown how to cook your new recipes you can then sit down and enjoy a lunch of them.
Also Sabrina will be at the terrifically foodie Taste of London this June demonstrating as a member of the Action Against Hunger charity.

A Last Taste of Sienna

A few weeks ago we made a trip down to Dorset especially to revisit the Michelin starred Sienna in Dorchester,restaurant of Russell Brown. With great sadness we found out that Russell plans to close in April ,12 years after opening. With this in mind and also with memories of the last  wonderful meal we had there just under a year ago,we decided we had to make a return visit before closure so we could enjoy Russell's magnificent culinary creations for one last time.
We made a reservation for a Thursday night and made our way to Dorchester where we were staying. On arriving at the restaurant we were once again greeted by Russell's wife,the very lovely Elena. We were shown to our table and given the menus to peruse and at once hit upon a problem!! There were so many things on the normal menu that we wanted but couldn't decide on. So we decided to opt for the 7 course tasting menu as this had some of the options on. Good choice. This was to be taken by the whole table which was okay with both of us. For those of you who have never come across a tasting menu it is a menu made up of lots of little plates. This way you get to try a multitude of dishes without eating too much.

Whilst making our choice we were brought out some tasty little canapes. Just the right amount to start the tastebuds tingling. A miniature Leek and Bacon Tart, crispy Cheese Straws and the most wonderful Goat's Cheese Truffle which to be honest if I were to be given a box of those instead of chocolates I'd happily devour. Now with our appetite ready for more we eagerly awaited the first course. This was Celeriac soup with caramelised apple served with a Cheese and Apple Muffin. I think celeriac tends to be one of those vegetables that is quite underused. It is not exactly attractive with its gnarled roots at one end. Those people who decide against it are missing out big time. This soup with its mild celery type flavour was perfect,silky in texture with hidden caramelised apple in it. Also the cheese and apple muffin was a perfect accompaniment, being light and fluffy much better than having bread with it.

Our next course was one of the dishes from the main menu.Duck Liver Parfait with Pickled Rhubarb,Onion and Rhubarb Chutney with Chargrilled Baguette. Wow! as a fairly newbie to rhubarb I was thrilled with this. What have I been missing all these years? The parfait smooth and light not at all like a pate which seems thick in comparison ,the pickled rhubarb and the chutney balancing up the richness of it. Also the baguette was thinly sliced therefore so again not filling you up but leaving you eating just the right amount. Once again a perfect dish.

The next dish a derivitive of another from the main menu , Butternut Squash ,Old Winchester Agnolotti with Sage Beurre Noisette. This is the type of dish which would make me happy to be a vegetarian. It had so much flavour ,the sweetness of the butternut squash coming through and not being overpowered by the sage. The pasta also was cooked to perfection.


The fish course was a delightful chunk of Panfried fillet of Cod with Chorizo,Lemon and Parsley. The cod so meaty and delicious sat on a small bed of greens with the slight spiciness of the chorizo to compliment it. Two little dots of  lemon and parsley intense in flavour just enough to give zing to the fish.
Next came the meat course and possibly my favourite (although when I think back I really think they were all my favourites) . This was possibly the biggest course but I was happy with that. Roast Rump of Lamb with Panfried Polenta,Smokey Aubergine Puree and Red Pepper sauce. What an absolute delight. This is the sort of dish which stops me being vegetarian. A magnificent tasting piece of lamb cooked pink served on cavolo nero (which I think is my favourite green). The iron of the cavolo nero complimenting the lamb perfectly,crisply cooked polenta instead of potatoes and the smokey aubergine (inspired by Sabrina Ghayor) finishing it all off . Yes I think my favourite. A perfect plate of food in every way.

Cheese course next and this was a bit of a challenge for me as it contained pear. Something I loathe. Its the grittiness of it that I don't like .But this year I have pledged to myself to try the things I dislike to just remind myself why I don't like them and to see if anything has changed. (although I still maintain sprouts are out of the question). Gorgonzola Dolce with Fresh Pear and Sea Salt Crackers. What can I say? As on our last visit the cheese is served at the perfect temperature to be able to taste it, not just removed from the fridge just before serving as I've had previously. Many a cheese board can be spoiled by it being served too cold.  I liked this pear,it was not gritty and came in two ways one a smooth puree and the other sliced with a few leaves and a dressing . It was delicious and a pleasure to eat. There was just enough of the creamy cheese which was accompanied by two beautifully crisp sea salt crackers.

Then we had a lovely little surprise a bonus course of a little glass packed with Rhubarb and Ginger Cheesecake.What a lovely bonus,a classic combination,not at all heavy .The sharp rhubarb and spicy ginger being tamed by the cheesecake.

The Desert course was sublime. Saffron,Honey,Raisin and Marmalade Sponge with Clotted Cream Ice Cream and an Orange syrup. This was a perfect final course as the sponge was so light it was a dream ,not at all the pudding that you sometimes can't eat because its just that little bit too heavy. The sweetness of the honey and raisins balnced by the marmalade sponge.The clotted cream not too rich to spoil the rest of the dish. A really good end to a good meal.

We opted for coffee to finish with and were presented along with it a lovely plate of petit fours and more wonderful flavours. A tiny Lemon Curd Tart ,Clotted Cream Shortbread and a Seville Orange Chocolate Ganache. The best way that I could have ended this fabulous dining experience. We left the restaurant having eaten the perfect amount,not too much that it was uncomfortable and not too little that we were looking for the local chippy on the way back. A skill indeed when planning a tasting menu.
Were we glad we returned before Sienna closes its doors for the last time. Most definitely. The quality,choice and experience was as perfect as the first time we went.
What next for Russell. Well he has embarked on a new venture which allows him to follow other pursuits within his field.He has set up a new website Creative About Cuisine which outlines his next moves which include demonstrations,teaching ,food consultancy and photography. The new website will include blogs from Russell and other guest contributors.
I'm also hoping that somewhere along the line there might be the possibility of the odd pop up restaurant so we can once again sit and enjoy a wonderful meal cooked by Russell.

Friars Farm

Friars Farm are local producers of jams,chutneys and sauces.It is run by Steve Reid and Rachel Cooper with a little help from their family.They try to include their own homegrown or local ingredients wherever possible in their preserves .Some of these from their garden and some from a little plot of land they have just outside of town.They sell to the public and also to local businesses including Towcester Racecourse.They also make a sauce 'Vampire's Rock' for the hit rock show of the same name. They also have some pigs on their plot which occasionally end up as fantastic sausages and beautiful pulled pork.
I was recently asked by Steve to come up with some recipes to show that preserves are not just  for the 'cold plate' and are versatile in other ways.He gave me a few jars of lovely goodies to play around with and the following recipes are what I came up with.I hope you enjoy them a much as I did creating them.

Goat's Cheese Parcels
200g goat's cheese (I used the large goats cheese log but any firmer cheese will do)
4 heaped tsp. Friars Farm Apple and Fig Chutney
melted butter
6 sheets Filo pastry cut in half

 Divide the goat's cheese into 4 slices. Layer 3 of  the filo pastry squares diagonally into a 'star shape brushing each sheet in the centre with the melted butter as you go.Add 1 tsp of the chutney to the centre and palce the goat's cheese on top.Bring each corner into the centre leaving the edges sticking out not overlapped to make a parcel.Brush generously with melted butter .Repeat with the other 3 parcels. Place on a greased baking tray. Cook in a preheated oven 200C /fan 180c/Gas 6 for about 10 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with a side salad. Serves 4

Cheesy Potato Bake
Friar's Farm Tomato and Red Pepper Relish
approx 450g potatoes ,peeled
melted butter
140g cooked ham
2 eggs
100 g firm cheese ( I used Cobbler's Nibble Gold our local cheese) grated or crumbled
200 ml milk
salt and pepper

Very thinly slice the poatoes and use to layer a greased deep baking dish (a silicone one is ideal if you want to turn it out to serve on a plate).Season with salt and pepper and brush each layer with butter as you go. Cover with greaseproof paper and cook in the oven 200c/180C/Gas6 for  about 30 minutes until the potatoes are soft but not crispy.Remove the greaseproof paper and spread on a layer of the relish .Then layer the ham then the cheese on top of the potatoes . Beat the eggs lightly and add the milk.Season and pour over the cheese,ham and potato. Bake for another 40 minutes or until set. Remove from the oven and  spread another layer of the relish on top whilst still warm. Either serve from the dish or turn out and serve with a side salad.This dish could be served hot or cold but we found it delicious served hot. Serves 4

Cranberry and Orange Sauce
140 ml red wine
140 ml chicken stock
grated zest and juice of 1 orange
4-5 tablespoons Friars Farm Cranberry Salsa
1 teaspoon Brown sugar
 Put all the ingredients into a saucepan over a high heat until boiling then reduce to a medium heat and simmer until the sauce has thickened.Season if necessary and serve.I served this sauce with roast duck but it would be just as nice served with chicken or turkey.

And last but not least Friars Farm Chilli Jam .I used this as a glaze for both some Friars Farm sausages and the gammon that I cooked and roasted to go into the Cheesy Potato Bake. It would be equally as nice on grilled salmon or pork roasted in the oven. Just brush the chilli jam on 5 - 10 minutes before the end of the cooking time.

Duck and Waffle

We visited the Duck and Waffle as a surprise treat for my husband's birthday one very cold, sunny day in January. Before we even reached the restaurant itself we were greeted by an amazing sight of London in the glass fronted elevator which zoomed us up to the 40th floor where the restaurant is situated.On entering the restaurant you walk into a seating area with an island bar in the middle.As with the rest of the restaurant this was bathed in light from the large glass windows. Our coats were checked  into the cloakroom and we were escorted to our table.
Unfortunately by the time we got there all of the daily  specials had gone (note to self; book an earlier table next time) so we just had the lunchtime menu and the wine list to peruse.At this point it's really difficult to concentrate on either the menu or the  views both of them vying for your attention. My husband asked if they had a non alcoholic beer,which they hadn't but they offered a non alcoholic cocktail instead. As he didn't know what to have our waiter said that he would bring a surprise.Out came a wonderful pomegranate based cocktail which went down very well.My son and myself chose a bottle of red (which happened to be the cheapest .A lot of the wine being above our price range).Then the difficult part.What to choose from the menu.The problem wasn't that there were pages and pages of dishes to choose from it was that the dishes that were there all sounded so good we took ages trying to decide.Changing our minds a few times.We thought that if we each had a different starter then we could all have a taste of 3 different dishes. A good move!!

 I chose the Spicy Ox Cheek Doughnut.I had seen this dish posted again and again on social media and had been so wanting to try it.I was not disappointed.Served with apricot jam and smoked paprika sugar the dish had a sweet kick but was totally savoury if that makes sense..Beautifully tender ox cheek in a fluffy savoury doughnut sat on top of just enough of the apricot jam.Absolutely fantastic!! My husband chose the Foie Gras Creme Brulée .Again a sweet sounding dish but definitely not.The foie gras brulée topped by butter roasted lobster was melting and creamy.The lobster sweet and fresh.Served with toasted brioche on the side this was an indulgent and delicious starter.Well worth trying.The last starter we chose was the Wild Cornish Pollock Meatballs served in a lobster cream with Parmesan.Once again a beautiful dish .Light ,fresh fish 'meatballs' served in a lovely creamy sauce and a sprinkling of parmesan. Well balanced with the parmesan not overpowering either the meatballs or the sauce,this dish was brought to the table in a little cast iron casserole which was piping hot.A nice way to present the dish.

For the main event I chose the eponymous Duck and Waffle.Crispy confit duck leg sitting on a waffle with a fried egg on top.It came with mustard maple syrup in a little jug that was drizzled on top. The only thing that put me off this let's face it unusual dish was the fried egg as I am not a lover of fried egg white.This year I have decided to eat more of the things that 'I don't like' and in this case I was right to do so as the egg combined with the rest of the dish was not at all like the rubber egg white that can so easily happen but was actually very tasty.Once again although a 'sweet ' dish this was so well balanced that it worked so well the different components complimenting one another to make a very good plate.My husband and son decided on the sharing plate of the Longhorn Rib Eye from Thirsk.This was served with roast onions, heritage radish and love it or hate it Marmite hollandaise.This dish actually looked like a work of art on the plate.The rib eye was cooked medium (as recommended) and came sliced on the plate dressed with the onions and radish and green leaves. Nestled in the middle was a marrow filled bone .A little spoon provided to scoop out the silky delicious marrow in the middle.A really tasty extra.The steak had been cooked to perfection and had a fine flavour to it.A good piece of beef.Marmite hollandaise.What can I say ?We are a family of Marmite lovers (apart from 1! There's always one) and so were quite happy to try the hollandaise.I am sure that even if you are a Marmite hater that you would love this as we did.A very clever balance of the Marmite. Just enough to flavour it but not too much to overpower it.Perfect.An idea I might have to steal.With our mains we ordered a side of Ratte Potatoes described as potatoes with pine and Marmite. I couldn't detect a taste of pine but once again there was just the subtle hint of Marmite which made for a different but very tasty potato dish.

In between our mains and desserts the waiter very kindly brought out a litte plate with happy birthday written in chocolate on and little delicious sweet titbits ,crowned off with a candle.A lovely touch.
For our desserts two of us went for the Orange Posset which was smooth and fruity topped off with an Aperol granita and a wondeful pineapple crisp.My son opted for the Pistachio and Dark chocolate Macaroon Sandwich which was as grand as it sounded.The plate being dressed with drunken cherries and crystallised white chocolate . A very nice end to a fantastic meal and a wonderful experience.
A meal at the Duck and Waffle is not just about the food.Although that's the major part.Its about the all round experience, the service and the views.An experience that I'd highly reccommend and really want again.