allprojects.co.uk

Baked sea bass

Ingredients

- 2 whole sea bass - scaled and cleaned
- 15g wild mushrooms - torn
- 1 large sprig of fresh thyme
- 40g sun-dried tomatoes
- 60g softened butter
- 20g black olives - stones removed
- 4 slices of lemon
- 2 sprigs of parsley
- olive oil
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas mark 6.
2. Place two pieces of double foil on the kitchen bench, making sure they are big enough to loosely wrap the fish. Rub the foil with the butter and place the fish on top.
3. Stuff the cavity of the fish with the thyme, olives, sun-dried tomatoes and mushrooms. Smear the upper side of the fish with the remaining butter, sprinkle with salt and pepper, place the lemons and parsley on top and drizzle with olive oil.
4. Fold the foil and crimp it tightly all around to make a well-sealed parcel but ensure that there is plenty of space within to allow steam to circulate.
5. Place the parcels on a baking tray and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. To serve, put the parcels on to serving plates but allow the diners to open the parcels themselves.

[top page]

Cheesy fish pie

Ingredients - serves 4

- 800g basics potatoes, peeled & chopped
- 100ml half fat crème fraîche
- 500g broccoli, cut into small florets
- 200g frozen green beans
- 1 x 54.5g pack Instant Pourover cheese sauce
- 1 x 520g pack basics fish fillets, chopped into equal-sized chunks
- 1/3 x 28g pack parsley, washed & roughly chopped

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/ fan 180°C/ gas 6. Simmer the potatoes in a large saucepan of lightly salted water for 15-20 minutes, until soft, then drain and mash with the half fat crème fraîche.
2. Meanwhile, cook the broccoli florets in simmering water for 4 minutes. Add the frozen green beans for the last minute of cooking time.
3. Meanwhile make up the instant cheese sauce following pack instructions. Place the Basics fish fillets in a bowl. Drain the broccoli and green beans and add to the bowl. Pour over the cheese sauce and mix with the chopped parsley.
4. Spoon the fish mixture into a 2-litre dish and top with the mash. Spread over and use a fork to create uneven peaks. Bake for 30 minutes until bubbling and golden on top.

[top page]

Cheesy prawn bake

Ingredients - serves 4

- 6 hard-boiled eggs
- 25 g (1 oz) butter or margarine
- 25 g (1 oz) plain flour
- 300 ml (1/2 pt) milk
- 3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 3 tbsp chopped fresh dill (optional)
- salt and pepper
- 1/4 tsp dry mustard
- 300 g (10 oz) peeled prawns
- 3 tbsp grated Emmenthal or Cheddar cheese

Method

1. Preheat oven. 230°C/450°F/gas 8. Shell and slice the hard-boiled eggs.
2. Melt butter or . margarine in a saucepan and stir in flour. Cook, stirring, for 1 min. Remove from heat and gradually add milk. Bring to the boil, stirring until thickened.
3. Stir in salt, pepper, . mustard, parsley, and dill, if using.
4. Arrange prawns . and eggs in an ovenproof dish. Pour over sauce and sprinkle top with grated cheese.
5. Bake for 15 - 20 mins, until top is golden and bubbling.
For a spicier flavour, replace the mustard with a pinch of curry powder

[top page]

Crusted Trout

Ingredients

- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- juice of 1 lime
- 4 x 150g trout fillets
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds

To serve with:
- lime wedges
- herb salad
- fennel

Method

1. Preheat the grill. Put the sesame oil in a bowl. Add the soy sauce and lime juice and whisk together.
2. Put the trout fillets on a baking sheet, pour the sesame mixture over them and grill for 8-10 minutes.
3. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and grill for a further 2-3 minutes until the seeds are golden.
4. Serve with lime wedges, a herb salad and some finely sliced fennel.

[top page]

English fish burgers

Ingredients - serves 3

- 2 185g Tuna in oil (or salmon, crabmeat, minced prawns)
- 2 ounces cheddar cheese, finely grated
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons spring onions, chopped
- chopped coriander, oregano or basil

Method

1 Drain tuna and flake into a bowl, add all ingredients and mix well.
2. Either leave for a couple of hours (really brings out flavours) or preheat oven to medium-high heat, lightly grease a baking tray and using fingers either pat and roll mixture into two equal patties or make little bite-sized balls.
3. Place on baking tray an inch or so apart. Bake for approx 20 minutes until browned and sizzling. Serve hot with salad, broccoli or refrigerate - a perfect cold protein snack.

[top page]

Fish & chips

Ingredients - serves 4

- 1kg basics potatoes, peeled & cut into thick chips
- 100g fresh white breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 4 defrosted basics frozen white fish fillets
- 320g basics frozen peas
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons plain flour

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/ fan 180°C/ gas 6. Place the potatoes in a bowl and toss with the olive oil. Transfer to a non-stick baking tray and bake in the oven for 40 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, scatter the breadcrumbs over a baking tray and bake in the oven for 2 minutes, until golden. Remove and set aside.
3. Crack the egg into a bowl and beat. Place the flour on a plate. Pat dry the fish fillets using kitchen paper and coat in the flour. Dip into the beaten egg and then in the breadcrumbs to coat. Place on a baking tray and bake for 12 minutes, until cooked through.
4. Meanwhile, boil the frozen peas for 3-4 minutes. Drain the peas, reserving 100ml of the cooking water, and return them to the pan. Using a potato masher, crush the drained peas with the reserved water. Build the chips in stacks to create a tower and serve with the fish and crushed peas.

[top page]

Haddock fishcakes with veg

Ingredients - serves 4

- 830g (1/3rd x 2.5kg bag) x 2.5kg pack basics potatoes, peeled & halved
- 200g haddock, skinned & chopped
- ½ x bunch spring onions, finely sliced
- 1 medium egg
- 500g basics carrots, peeled & sliced
- 900g basics frozen British garden peas
- 2 teaspoons English mustard
- 2 tablespoons plain flour, plus 10g
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Black pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/ fan 200°C/ gas 7. Bring a large pan of water to the boil and boil the potatoes for 10 minutes, then drain. Leave to steam dry in the colander for a further 10 minutes.
2. Put the fish, spring onions, egg, mustard and 2 tablespoons plain flour in a large bowl. Grate the cooked potato on top, using the coarse side of a grater. Mix well and shape into 8 fishcakes. Place the remaining plain flour on a plate and coat each fish cake, shaking off any excess.
3. Oil a non-stick baking tray with ½ tablespoon olive oil and arrange the fish cakes on top. Brush the tops and sides with the remaining olive oil, then bake for 25 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, bring a large pan of water to the boil and cook the carrots and peas until tender, then drain. Flip the fish cakes over to serve bottom side up with the vegetables.

Hints and tips: Try swapping the haddock for 100g sun-dried tomatoes in vegetable oil, chopped.

[top page]

Italian baked fish with tomatoes and olives

Ingredients – serves 6

-    25g unsalted butter
-    1 large onion, finely sliced
-    2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
-    600g floury potatoes such as King Edward, skin on, cut into 2cm pieces
-    6 plum tomatoes, roughly chopped
-    200ml dry white wine
-    200ml Classic/Vegetable Stock
-    100 g green olives, drained and chopped
-    1kg Icelandic cod fillets, from the fish service counter (or other firm white fish), cut into 6 equal pieces
-    10g fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. Melt the butter in a large flameproof
roasting tin over the hob and cook the onion for a few minutes until beginning to soften. Add the garlic and potatoes and mix well with the onions.
2. Stir in the tomatoes and, over a high heat, add the wine and bubble rapidly until reduced by half. Pour in the fish stock, add the olives and stir together well. Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and the tomatoes have softened.
3. Add the fish to the tin, nestling it among the potatoes and tomatoes. Spoon over some of the cooking juices and season lightly. Return to the oven and cook for a
further 7-10 minutes, until the fish is just cooked through. Scatter with the parsley and serve immediately from the tin, with green beans and some warmed crusty bread such as focaccia.

[top page]

Mini crab cakes

Ingredients - serves 2

- 170g can white crab meat, drained well
- 1 Tbsp mayonnaise
- Zest and juice of one lime
- 1/2 red chilli, finely chopped
- 30g breadcrumbs
- 1 Tbsp coriander, finely chopped
- Oil for frying
- Chilli dipping sauce & rocket to serve

Method

1. In a bowl combine all ingredients. Shape the mixture into six equal size patties.
2. Cover the patties with cling film and place in a refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
3. In a frying pan heat a little oil and shallow fry the crab cakes on a medium heat for two or three minutes on each side until golden.
4. Remove from the pan and drain on kitchen paper.
5. Serve with chilli dipping sauce and a small handful of rocket.

Hints and Tips: To save time crab cakes can be made the day before, covered with cling film and then placed in the refrigerator overnight. Canned crab is a good source of iron, which can stave off fatigue.

[top page]

Richy's Fish Pie

Ingredients - serves 2-3

- 200g Fish (cod, salmon, trout...)
- 500g Potatoes
- 1cup Frozen peas
- 60g Mature Cheddar
- 40g Butter
- 1 cup Milk
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
- 1 packet Bread Sauce Mix

Method

1. Peel and dice the potatoes. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Place the fish into an oven-proof container (approx 1L capacity).
3. Add milk to container and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. Bake fish in the oven and boil potatoes in a large saucepan for 20 minutes.
5. Remove fish from oven and set aside. Do not discard the milk.
6. Increase oven temperature to 220°C.
7. Drain potatoes and leave in colander to dry.
8. Pour boiling water onto peas and set aside.
9. Rinse saucepan and use the milk from the fish to make bread sauce. Make it thick.
10. Add the peas to the bread sauce.
11. Break the fish into chunks. Place it into the pie dish and pour the bread sauce over it.
12. Rinse saucepan again and mash the potatoes with the butter, salt and pepper to taste. Add a splash of milk if it is too thick.
13. Spoon the mash onto the fish and spread evenly. Sprinkle with the cheese.
14. Place the pie onto a baking sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the cheese is browned.
15. When cooked, leave to stand for a few minutes before serving.

[top page]

Saffron Buttered Prawns

Ingredients - serves 4

- 125g unsalted butter
- A pinch of saffron
- A good pinch of salt
- 400g roughly chopped Icelandic prawns
- Brown toast triangles

Method

1. Melt 125g unsalted butter in a saucepan and add a pinch of saffron, a good pinch of salt and 400g roughly chopped Icelandic prawns. Cook over a low heat for 4-6 minutes, stirring very gently. Divide the mixture between 4 ramekins or small pots. Serve warm with a stack of brown toast triangles.
This dish makes a wonderful dinner party starter or light lunch served with lettuce and cucumber.

[top page]

Salmon and Broccoli Quiche

Ingredients - serves 4

- 213g can pink salmon, drained
- Small head of broccoli, approx 75g
- 2 medium eggs
- 150ml full fat milk
- Seasoning
- 1 x 20cm pre-cooked pastry case
- 25g cheddar cheese, grated

Method

1. Preheat oven to fan 160°C, conventional 180°C, gas 4.
2. Put a pan of water on to boil.
3. Divide the broccoli into small florets; plunge into boiling water for one minute, drain well and cool under cold running water. Dry on kitchen paper.
4. Place the salmon in a bowl; remove any large bones and skin.
5. Place eggs and milk in a measuring jug and beat together, season well, add to the salmon and mix well.
6. Pour mixture into the pastry case.
7. Push the broccoli florets into the mixture and sprinkle with cheese.
8. Bake for 25 minutes or until firm and golden brown.
Freezing: Any leftover quiche can be frozen by wrapping individual slices in greaseproof paper and placing them in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to two months. Defrost thoroughly in a refrigerator prior to reheating.

[top page]

Salmon & Cucumber Bites

Ingredients - makes 40

- 250 gr. soft cheese,
- 1 x 250 g can red salmon (drained),
- chopped dill,
- 1 tbs. sour cream,
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice,
- 1 tbs. finely chopped chives,
- 1 tbs. plain joghurt,
- 4 medium cucumbers

Method

1. Beat cream cheese in a small bowl with electric mixer until creamy, add remaining ingredients (except cucumber) and mix well.
2. Slice the cucumbers in rounds, spoon heaped teaspoons of the cheese mixture onto the rounds and arrange on a big serving plate. Optional decoration: dill leaves or very thin strips of red peppers.

[top page]

Salmon and Spinach Pie

Ingredients - serves 4

For the pastry
- 100g butter
- salt
- 200g wheat flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2-3 tbsp cold water

For the filling
- 750g spinach
- 2 onions
- 20g butter
- 2 medium mozzarella balls
- 3 eggs
- 200g sour cream
- 125ml milk
- salt & pepper
- 1 small handful of fresh dill
- 200g smoked salmon

Method

To make the pastry
Mix 100g butter with the salt, flour, baking powder and 2-3 tbsp cold water. Kneed gently until all the ingredients are blended.

1. Grease a pie tin (28-30 cm) with a small amount of butter and set aside.
2. On a lightly flowered surface, roll out the pastry and carefully line the pie tin, pushing the pastry into all the corners. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
3. Wilt the spinach in a hot pan with a little water. Peel and finely chop the onions, then fry using 20g butter. Drain the spinach and add to the onions. Take the pan off the heat, leave to cool down slightly and lightly season.
4. Drain the mozzarella balls and coarsely grate.  In a bowl beat together the eggs, sour cream, milk, salt and pepper and mix thoroughly. Roughly chop the dill and add to the egg, milk and cream mixture.
5. Spread the spinach evenly over the pastry and top with roughly chopped salmon.
6. Sprinkle the pie with the mozzarella and carefully pour in the egg, milk and cream mixture until nearly filled.
7. Place the pie in the oven for approx.  45 minutes at 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6 (for fan assisted oven: 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4). Serve hot or cold with a side dish of your choice.

[top page]

Smoked wild Irish salmon with chive pancakes (Blinis)

Ingredients – serves 6

For the dressing
- 2 tbsp wholegrain mustard
- 100ml olive oil
- juice 1 lemon
For the pancakes
- 4 eggs, beaten
- 140g plain flour
- 250ml milk
- handful chives, chopped
- vegetable oil, to cook

To serve
- 6 handfuls mixed salad leaves
- 12 slices of smoked salmon, preferably wild Irish salmon
- 1 lemon, finely sliced
- handful chives, halved

Method

1. To make the dressing, place the wholegrain mustard in a bowl, then using a whisk, add the olive oil slowly. Add a squeeze of lemon, season to taste, then set aside.
2. To make the pancake mixture, mix together the eggs, flour, milk and chopped chives until smooth. Season with pepper and salt, if you want
3. Heat a medium non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Using a piece of kitchen paper wipe the pan with some vegetable oil. Pour a ladleful of the pancake batter into the pan and swirl to cover the base. Cook for about 1 min, then flip, cook for 30 seconds more, remove and place on greaseproof paper. Repeat until you've made all six pancakes, then set aside.
4. To serve, arrange handfuls of salad leaves in piles on the side of each of six plates. Fold pancakes into four and sit next to the leaves. Loosely drape two slices of smoked salmon over the leaves and pancakes. Tuck two slices of lemon and a few chives under the salmon, then drizzle the mustard dressing over everything and serve.
Photo: simple version of blinis made with Smoked Salmon, Creme Fraiche, and Chives.

[top page]

Salmon en croute

Ingredients - serves 6

- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1tbsp chopped fresh or 1tsp dried dill
- 2 x 450g salmon fillets, skinned and boned
- 680g frozen ready-made puff pastry, thawed
- 300g frozen chopped spinach, thawed
- 100g creamy soft cheese
- 105g cooked and peeled prawns
- 1 egg, beaten

Method

1. Mix the lemon juice with the dill, season the mixture and rub it into the salmon fillets. Put them both in a non-metallic bowl and leave to marinate for 1 hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6. Roll out half the pastry on a lightly floured work surface to a rectangle measuring 38 x 20cm. Put on a large baking sheet and prick the base all over with a fork. Chill for 30 mins, then bake until golden brown. Cool on a rack.
3. Squeeze out any excess liquid from the spinach, then mix in a bowl with the cream cheese and prawns. Season to taste.
4. Put the cooked pastry base onto a baking sheet and place one of the fillets in the centre. Spread with the cream cheese mixture and lay the other fillet on top.
5. Brush the border of the pastry with the beaten egg. Roll out the remaining pastry and place over the fish to cover it. Press lightly to seal. Trim the base, allowing a 1.5cm border all the way around and use trimmings to decorate the parcel. Make 2 slits in the top, brush with egg, and bake for 40 to 45 mins.

[top page]

Smoked salmon fishcake

Ingredients - serves 4

Dressing
- 15g butter
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- ½ Small red onion, finely chopped
- 150g cherry tomatoes, chopped
- 3 tbsp chives, sliced
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 180g watercress
Fishcakes
- 350g potatoes, peeled
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 500g salmon fillets
- 140g smoked salmon, finely chopped
- 2 egg yolks
- 4 salad onions, finely chopped

Method

1. Cook the potatoes in salted water for 20 minutes till tender. Fill a deep frying pan with water and vinegar and bring to a gentle simmer. Lower in the salmon fillets, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Place the salmon in a bowl, remove the skin, flake the flesh, and add the smoked salmon.
2. Drain the potatoes and return to the pan. Mash and season. Add to the salmon, season, and beat in the yolks and salad onions. Shape into 12 cakes and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 150°C, gas mark 2. Mix the red onion, tomatoes, chives, lemon and extra virgin oil for the dressing; season. In a large frying pan, warm half the sunflower oil and butter over a medium-high heat. Cook in batches for 2–3 minutes each side until golden (keeping the cooked fishcakes warm in the oven while you fry the rest in the remainder of the oil and butter). Serve three fishcakes each, accompanied by watercress and the dressing.
Total time :     43 minutes to 47 minutes

[top page]

Smoked salmon rolls - pancakes

Ingredients - serves 30

- 2 large eggs, preferably free-range or organic
- 120g plain flour
- 180ml milk
- 8 tablespoons olive oil
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper butter
- 150ml crème fraîche
- a small bunch of fresh chives
- 200g smoked salmon
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Method

1. Crack the eggs in a mixing bowl, then add the flour to the bowl so it sits in a pile to one side of the eggs. Gently start mixing the eggs with a whisk, then gradually whisk the flour in, little by little, until it’s all incorporated. If it gets a bit thick, add some of the milk to loosen it up. Once all the flour is mixed in, add the rest of the milk, 2 tablespoons of oil and a good pinch of salt. Leave for at least an hour before using.
2. Heat a small large non-stick frying pan and melt a knob of butter in it. Pour in a ladleful of batter, swirl the pan around, then pour any loose batter back into the bowl it came from. You should be left with a thin pancake stuck to the pan. Let it cook for a minute or so, flip it over for 30 seconds and then slide it out on to a plate. Repeat until all your batter is used. (It should make about five, so you could use the remainder for breakfast). Let the pancakes cool.
3. Make a rectangle of double thickness cling film about 40cm x 15cm and lay two pancakes on it side by side, slightly overlapping. Spread them with a thin layer of crème fraîche, lay most of the chives on top, season well with pepper and place a layer of smoked salmon over the top. Use the cling film
on one of the long sides of the rectangle to roll the pancakes up tightly like a Swiss roll. Re-wrap in cling film and leave for at least half an hour in the fridge to firm up before slicing into inch lengths and serving with a dip made from the rest of the oil, the lemon juice and salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the remaining chives before serving.

Hints and Tips: These are a kind of sushi-style take on a classic combination of smoked salmon and crème fraîche inside a pancake. You can make them up the day before, keep them in the fridge wrapped in cling film, then slice them up at the last minute. They look great if you serve them up-ended, like sushi-rolls, on a rectangular or square plate with the dip in a little bowl. You could use mustard mayo or even horseradish sauce instead of the vinaigrette dip if you like.

[top page]

Smoked salmon rolls - tortillas

Ingredients - serves 25

- 300g cream cheese
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp chopped dill
- generous pinch of black pepper
- 4 large flour tortillas
- 350g smoked salmon
- serve with extra dill and rocket leaves

Method

1. Mix the cream cheese with the lemon juice, chopped dill and plenty of black pepper.
2. Spread over 4 large flour tortillas and cover with the smoked salmon.
3. Roll up like a Swiss roll, trim off the ends and discard.
4. Wrap tightly in cling film, twisting the ends firmly to enclose. Place in the fridge until you are ready to use.
5. To serve, take a sharp knife and slice on the diagonal. Serve with extra dill and rocket leaves.

[top page]

Stuffed squid - Totani ripieni

Ingredients

- breadcrumbs
- chopped parsley
- grated Parmesan
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- bits of sliced ham (optional)
- hard mozzarella/cheese
- onion, sliced
- white wine
- tomato puree (or fresh tomatoes)
- a pinch of salt
- a little water

Method

1. In a bowl, mix breadcrumbs, parsley, Parmesan, and a little olive oil.
2. Slice the ham in pieces and dice the mozzarella or cheese.
3. Stuff each of the squid with a little bit of breadcrumb mixture, add a piece of
mozzarella and ham to each and close using a toothpick.
4. In a saucepan, gently fry some onion in a little olive oil, gently position the stuffed squid over the onion and add a little white wine. Then add some tomato puree, or fresh tomatoes, salt and a little bit of water.
5. Cover and cook on a low heat for 10-15 minutes.

[top page]