Thursday, June 25, 2009

Haddock Fishcakes

Ingredients
300g Smoked Haddock (or tinned tuna/salmon)
Milk
450g Potatoes
100g Watercress
200ml Creme Fraiche
1 Egg
1 Tablespoon Horseradish Sauce
80g Breadcrumbs
Oil (for frying)

Equipment
2 Large Pans
1 Potato Masher
2 Bowls (one with beaten egg in, the other with your breadcrumbs in)

The Good Bit
  1. Place the fish in your pan and cover with milk, brink to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes (the fish should flake easily with the back of a fork) In the other pan cook your potatoes in boiling salted water for 10-15 minutes until they are soft and tender. (drain them then mash them)
  2. Chop your cress, saving 2 tablespoons for later, add the rest to the mash, season then stir in the fish, now you want to make about 8-12 little patties, use your hands for this then chill for 30 minutes.
  3. Now dip your patties in the egg first then into the bread crumbs, get a nice even coating all round, and fry until golden. Mix the horseradish with the creme fraiche and the reserved cress, then serve with the fish cakes (go on, have chips too! or how about a salad, euw!!!)
Serves 4

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Crispy Potato Skins

Ingredients
4 Large Baking Potatoes
Olive Oil
100ml Creme Fraiche
1 Tablespoon Horseradish Sauce
2 Smoked and Peppered Mackerel Fillets
Salt and Pepper

Equipment
1 Oven Tray
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Mixing Bowl
2 Metal Spoons
1 Pastry Brush

The Good Bit
  1. Preheat your oven too 200c gas 6, scrub your potatoes and prick them, cook in the oven for 1 1/2 hours or until tender then remove and cut each into 6 to 8 wedges.
  2. In the meantime mix together the creme fraiche and horseradish and season with salt and pepper. Scoop out the centres of the wedges leaving about 1cm of potato before you hit skin, brush them with oil and stick back in your oven for 25 minutes until golden.
  3. Whilst you are waiting for that to do, break your fish into strips, dollop sauce into each of the potato skins and top with little bits of fish.
Serves 4

Monday, May 11, 2009

Lemon Pepper Tuna with Courgette Ribbons

Ingredients
4 Courgettes (thinly sliced length ways)
1 Lemon (zested)
1 Red Chilli (de seeded and sliced)
1 Teaspoon Black peppercorns (crushed)
2x100g Tuna Steaks
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Mixing Bowl
1 Griddle Pan
1 lemon Zester
1 Pastry Brush

The Good Bit
  1. Toss the courgette in a little oil, season with salt and pepper and griddle for a couple of minutes. Mix the lemon zest with the chilli and pepper, brush the tuna with oil and press in the pepper mix, season with salt and salt and griddle for 2 minutes each side.
  2. Finally cut the lemon into wedges and griddle along side your tuna. Serve the tuna on your bed of courgette ribbons with the lemon wedges on the side or on the top.
Serves 4

Sunday, April 5, 2009

Caesar Salad

Ingredients
3 Slices Of Fresh Bread (cubed) (or a good farmhouse white)
1 Lettuce (roughly torn)
Parmesan (grated)
Vegetable Oil
1 Glove Garlic (crushed)
4 Anchovy Fillets (chopped)
4 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
2 Teaspoons Mustard Powder
1 Egg (yolk only)
200ml Olive Oil
Pepper

Equipment
1 Blender
1 Frying Pan
1 Garlic Press
1 Serving Bowl
Kitchen Paper

The Good Bit
  1. Start by bunging the garlic, anchovies, lemon juice egg yolk and mustard powder in your blender, mix well then slowly add the olive oil until you have a thick creamy dressing, if it is too thick for you just a a splash of water, season with freshly ground black pepper.
  2. Now heat a splash of vegetable oil in the frying pan until it is very hot, then rapidly fry off your cubes of bread until they are golden on all sides then drain on a piece of kitchen paper.
  3. Now chuck your lettuce in a bowl and mix in 2 tablespoons of grated parmesan along with the dressing, when it's mixed well and ready to serve, sprinkle over the croutons and another tablespoon of parmesan.
Serves 4

Monday, February 9, 2009

Coddled Eggs

Ingredients
50g Smoked Salmon (cut into chunks)
4 Eggs
4 Tablespoons Double Cream
Butter
Salt and Pepper
Dill/Chives to Garnish

Equipment
4 Ramekins (greased with the butter)
1 Oven Proof Dish

The Good Bit
  1. Pre heat your oven to 180c 350f gas 4. Divide the salmon equally between the ramekins, then break an egg into each dish on top of the salmon, season with salt and pepper then top with a spoonful of double cream.
  2. Place the ramekins in your oven proof dish then top the dish up with just enough water to reach half way up the ramekins, cook for 10-15 minutes until they are set, garnish with either dill or chives and serve.
Serves 4

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Smoked Mackerel Pots

Ingredients
1 Smoked Mackerel (250g skinned and boned)
50g Soft Cheese
65g Butter (melted)
1 Tablespoon Fresh Parsley (chopped)
1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
Pepper (no salt as the fish provides this)
Lemon Slices and Parsley Sprigs to Garnish

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Mixing Bowl
1 Wooden Spoon
4 Ramekins

The Good Bit
  1. Beat the fish in the mixing bowl until it is well flaked then add in about 1/3rd of the melted butter and all of the cheese, beat together well, next stir in the lemon juice and parsley then season to taste, give a good mix at this stage.
  2. Spoon the mixture into your ramekins and smooth out the surface, then pour the remaining butter over the top. Now chill for a couple of hours before serving.
  3. Serve garnished with lemon slices and parsley sprigs.
Serves 4

Friday, January 9, 2009

Crispy Prawns

Ingredients
16 Tiger Prawns (cooked and defrosted)
125g Plain Flour
150ml Beer
1 Tablespoon Chopped Fresh Parsley
2 Eggs (whites only)
Salt
1 Tablespoon Oil (for the batter)
Oil (for deep Frying)
8Tablespoons Mayonnaise
2 Cloves Garlic (crushed)
2 Tablespoons Chopped Thyme
1 Teaspoon Grated Lemon Rind
Tabasco Sauce (optional but lovely)

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
2 Mixing Bowls
1 Garlic Press
1 Wok
1 Slotted Metal Spoon
1 Balloon Whisk
1 Fork
Kitchen Paper

The Good Bit
  1. In one mixing bowl, put the flour along with a pinch of salt and beat in the beer and oil with a fork, whisk the egg whites with the balloon whisk until they are very stiff then gently fold them into the batter with the fork along with the parsley, when you have an even mixture, drop in the prawns and get them coated evenly all over.
  2. Heat half a wok of oil up to 190c 375f and fry the prawns in batches for 2-3 minutes until they are a lovely golden colour, remove them with the slotted spoon, leave to stand on the kitchen paper.
  3. Mix all of the remaining ingredients together from the mayonnaise down and use as a dip, or you could use one of the other sauces suggested in the links section on the front page, such as the sweet and sour dip.
Serves 4