Paul's cooking .......

Lemon and szechuan pepper sardines

 With sardines plentiful, here's an interesting dish that makes the most delightful starter. It is delicious served with parsnip chips ! It's also a great barbecue dish!

Ingredients:

12 fresh sardines, butterflied (ask you fishmonger to do this for you!)

2 parsnips peeled

oil for deep frying (sunflower or peanut oil ideally)

sea salt 

for the marinade:

3 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons szechuan peppercorns, dry roasted and crushed

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons thai basil - shredded

Start by washing the sardines, and pat them carefully until dry. To make the marinade, dry roast the peppercorns for 2 minutes and crush. Now add the lemon juice, olive oil and the thai basil leaves.

Marinate for at least 20 minutes.

Cut the peeled parsnips into thin strips, using a mandoline if one is available. In a saucepan, heat the oil for deep frying to 170 C and cook the parsnip strips a few at a time until gold and crisp. Drain them on absorbent paper and keep warm.

To cook the sardines, preheat the grill or barbecue. Cook the sardines for upto 2 minutes on each side, until they are tender. For smaller fish 90 seconds will suffice.

Serve the sardines with the parsnip chips and a sprinkling of sea salt.

Delicious, particularly with a cold beer!

Two quick chocolate treats!

Two very quick, but great ways to finish off a fabulous meal either with friends or just the two of you!

Chocolate ice cream bites

Place small balls of ice cream on a chilled tray and pop back into the freezer until firm. In the meantime, melt some high quality chocolate over a bain-marie and allow to cool slightly. Now dip the ice cream balls into the melted chocolate and freeze to set.

Serve at your leisure!

Chocolate truffles

Gently heat 250 g of high quality chocolate, 60 g of unsalted butter and 160 ml of double cream, until a lovely smooth paste. Cool in the refrigerator, and shape into small balls. Toss in cocoa powder and serve.

A great finish to any meal !

Lamb with a garlic mash

This is a great supper dish, or indeed a light lunch dish too! As with all simple recipes, it is the quality of the ingredients that shine through, so really try to buy the best quality lamb, preferably at a local butchers or perhaps a farmers market!

Ingredients (for four)

8 double lamb cutlets, trimmed

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 tablespoons chopped mint

120 ml red wine

1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

for the garlic mash:

6 cloves garlic, unpeeled

6 good sized potatoes, peeled and chopped (I prefer Maris Piper or Pentland Crown varieties for mashing)

2 tablespoons butter

240 ml hot milk

sea salt

Firstly, we have to marinate the lamb cutlets. Combine the pepper, mint, wine, mustard and cumin and pour over the lamb cutlets placed in a shallow dish. Allow the cutlets to marinate for 2 hours or more.

Now the garlic mash. Place the unpeeled garlic in a dry frying pan over a moderate heat. Allow them to cook, turning occasionally, for at least 10 minutes until the skins are golden brown. Allow them to cool and then squeeze the garlic from the skins and mash to a smooth paste with a fork.

Place the peeled potatoes in a pan of boiling water and simmer until tender (12 - 15 minutes).

While the potatoes are cooking, drain and reserve the marinade from the lamb. Pour the marinade into a small saucepan and simmer over a low heat until syrupy. 

Now heat a frying pan over high heat and when hot add the lamb cutlets. Cook each side for 3 minutes for medium rare, or more if you prefer well done.

Now to finish the mash, drain the mash and return to the warm pan and add the butter. Mash with a whisk and slowly add the hot milk until the potatoes are thick and creamy. Finally stir through the salt and mashed garlic.

To serve, place a pile of mash on the plates with the lamb to the side and spoon over the reduced sauce. Serve with a rocket salad or perhaps some wilted spinach leaves.

Chocolate brownies - paul's version

Who can resist a good chocolate brownie? You know, the slightly flattened appearance, the crunchy exterior and the soft goo-ey centre! These are perennial favourites with my children and their friends. Even their friends' parents ask for them ! What's more they're so easy to make!

Ingredients

250 g butter

250 g dark chocolate (ideally 70% cocoa content)

3 medium eggs

300 g caster sugar

150 g plain flour

50 g self raising flour 

125 g crushed "oreo" biscuits

Let's start by placing the butter and dark chocolate in a saucepan and stir over a low heat until all silky and smooth. 

Place the eggs and caster sugar into a bowl and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy - try to keep as much air as possible in the mix.

Add the plain and self raising flours into the butter and chocolate mix and stir well. Take 125 g of oreo biscuits, place in a plastic bag and crush using a rolling pin, leaving a few fair-sized chunks. Add to the chocolate mix and now fold in the creamed butter and sugar.

When fully mixed, pour into a greased and lined 23 cm (or thereabouts) square cake tin and bake in a pre-heated oven at 180 C for 30 minutes or until set. The brownies should retain a bit of spring, but still be goo-ey in the centre.

Remove from oven and baking tray and leave to cool on a wire rack. Finally cut into squares, resulting in 16 or 25 great brownies, soft and goo-ey with bits of oreo here and there!.

These brownies are really quite special as a result of  mixing in the oreo's - I've even experimented with bourbon creams, but the oreos come out tops.

Enjoy baking these, and above all else enjoy the pleasure of seeing the children woof these down in seconds!!!!

Thai spicy red prawn curry (chu chee gung)

The fiery red thai curries are a wonderful blend of hot, sour, saltiness and sweetness, and in my opinion the finest accompaniment to them are prawns. This is a quite simple recipe, particularly if you have the prepared curry paste already made. It is really worth the effort to make fresh pastes rather than shop bought. The difference is huge!

Ingredients (for 4)

750 ml coconut milk

4 tablespoons red curry paste (see below)

2 tablespoon grated palm sugar

6 tablespoon fish sauce

4 tablespoons chicken stock

a good squeeze of lime juice

12 prawns, shelled and de-veined with tails intact

4 kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded

2 long red thai chillies, de-seeded and julienned

a few thai basil leaves

for the red curry paste:

8 - 12 small dried chillies (depends on how hot you prefer it!)

1 tablespoon coriander seeds, cumin seeds respectively

1 large shallot very finely chopped

1 tablespoon galangal chopped

2 tablespoon lemon grass, finely chopped

2 tablespoon kaffir lime leaves very finely chopped

1 tablespoon coriander root, chopped

20 peppercorns

1 tablespoon shrimp paste

Let's start with the red curry paste. Firstly soak the dried chillies in a little hot water for 15 minutes. Whilst this is happening, dry fry the coriander and cumin seeds for about 5 minutes and then grind into a powder. Place all the ingredients except the shrimp paste into a blender, and blend well. Finally add the shrimp paste and blend until smooth. The paste will last for several weeks in an airtight container in the fridge.

So to the curry! In a wok, warm the coconut milk over a moderate heat until just under the boil. Immediately add the red curry paste and fry until the fragrance is readily released (it will smell fantastic, believe me!). Season with the palm sugar and fish sauce, mixing well. Now add the chicken stock and cook until the mixture reduces to a thick curry. 

Now add the very finely shredded kaffir lime leaves and the prawns. Cook for no more than 5 minutes, and as a final garnish add the lime juice, the shredded red chilli and a few thai basil leaves.

Serve immediately with fragrant jasmine rice or as part of a thai banquet.

Simple but delicious!

Provencal fish soup

Oh, how I love this dish! For me it is the perfect combination of my favourite food type, and my favourite region in the whole world. The colour and depth of flavour encapsulate my experience of the region between Marseille and St Remy, vibrant, interesting, and above all else, something you can re-visit time after time.

Not only is this dish a great eating experience, but also a great cooking experience. Two things are very important with regards to this dish, firstly a good mix of fish, and secondly to give that real depth of flavour, a great fish stock rather than water as liquid.

As a garnish, I'm suggesting baguette with a home made rouille - follow the recipe, it's not too difficult and the rewards are tremendous!

Ingredients:

2 kg mixed white fleshed fish (not oily) - ideally rascasse (difficult to get in the UK but not Provence) - also conger eel, wrasse, monkfish, gurnard, sea bream, mullet or John Dory.

300 g shell-on prawns

100 ml olive oil

3 shallots, finely sliced

1 carrot, leek (white part only), and celery stick - all finely chopped

1 red pepper finely chopped (flesh only)

1 large head of fennel

10 garlic cloves finely chopped

800 g tinned chopped tomatoes (2 tins)

2 tablespoons tomato puree

1/2 tablespoon crushed coriander seeds

a bouquet garni of rosemary,thyme,parsley and bay leaves

juice of 1 orange

generous pinch of saffron

1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons Pernod (Ricard is my favourite...)

2.5 litres Fish stock (see below)

for the fish stock:

1 kg fish bones

1 glass white wine

1 large carrot

1 onion

2 celery sticks

a handful black peppercorns

thyme

parsley

bay leaves

for the garnish:

10 slices baguette

olive oil

rouille (see below)

freshly grated parmesan cheese

for the rouille

2 thick slices of bread

pinch of saffron strands

1 teaspoon hot water

1 grilled and skinned red pepper

1 red chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped

3 garlic cloves

1/4 teaspoon salt

110 ml olive oil

Let's start with the fish stock. Of all stocks, fish stock is the easiest and quickest to make. Indeed it should never take more than 30 minutes, as any longer runs the risk of it turning bitter.

In an ideal world, turbot and dover sole bones will make the best stock, but the bones, skin and head of any non-oily fish will make good stock.

Place the bones etc, in a large pan and add the other ingredients and seasonings. Place over a moderate to high heat for 3 minutes to burn off the alcohol in the wine, and then add enough cold water to cover generously. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 20 - 25 minutes, skimming off the scum throughout the cooking time. Bring off the heat and strain through a fine sieve and allow to cool.

In another large pan, add the vegetables, garlic and the coriander seeds, and sweat in olive oil over a lowish heat for 15-20 minutes. Now add the tomatoes, tomato puree, bouquet garni, orange juice and seasoning. Cook over a higher heat for 5 minutes, and add the fish stock.

Bring to the boil and immediately lower the heat and simmer for 40 minutes. Add the fish and the prawns and simmer for a further 10 minutes. Now add the saffron, cayenne and the pernod and simmer again for 10 minutes.

Remove from the heat, and cool slightly, removing the bouquet garni. Now liquidise the whole contents including the prawn shells, possibly in batches to a smooth sludge. Now pass the soup through a fine sieve, pressing through all the juices. Taste and adjust the seasoning with a generous amount of black pepper. Keep warm.

Now for the rouille! 

Tear the bread roughly and place in a bowl. Add enough water to cover and leave for 10 minutes. Place the saffron in a small bowl and add a tablespoon of hot water and seep for 10 mintes. Take the de-seeded, skinned and grilled red pepper and place in a food processor with the chilli and garlic. Drain the bread and squeeze out the water with your hands, add some salt, and also place in the food processor and process into a smooth paste. Now work in the olive oil as if making mayonnaise, finally stirring in the saffron and water.

Finally, heat the oven to 200 C and take the slices of baguette and brush generously with olive oil. Bake in the oven until golden brown and crisp.

To serve:

Warm the fish soup, by now a great brick red colour, and serve individually alongside the bread, the rouille (wait until you taste this!) and the grated parmesan cheese.

Although a fairly lengthy process, the joy of this dish is in hearing your guests delight at the combination of flavours and of course, your personal memories of Provence!

A spectacular dish!!!

Tarte au citron (lemon tart)

This french classic has to be one of my all-time favourite desserts. The very thought of it is mouth-watering, the crisp slightly sweet pastry and the oh so sharp lemon curd filling. This is always a hit with guests as long as you don't tell them quite how many calories they are consuming!

Ingredients

sweet pastry:

360 g plain flour

a pinch of salt

180 g cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes

110 g icing sugar

3 medium egg yolks

For the filling:

finely grated zest and juice of 8 un-waxed lemons

350 g caster sugar

6 whole medium eggs

9 medium egg yolks

300 g softened unsalted butter

Start by making the pastry. Pulse the flour, salt and butter in a food processor until the mix resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Now carefully add the icing sugar and the egg yolks and mix together. The pastry should bind together very quickly. Remove from the bowl and wrap in cling film and refrigerate ideally for 1 hour.

Now pre-heat the oven to 180 C. On a flour dusted surface, roll out the pastry, and carefully line a greased, 30 cm loose-bottomed flan tin. Push the pastry into the corners. Now cover with tin foil add some dried pulses or rice and bake blind for 20 minutes, removing the tin foil and contents for the last 5 minutes. The pastry should just be turning a light golden colour. Now leave to cool.

Whilst baking the pastry, we can turn our attention to the filling. Firstly place the juice and zest of the lemons, the sugar, egg and egg yolks in a large saucepan  over a very low heat ( a diffuser would help here). Whisk moderately until the eggs have broken up and all the sugar has dissolved.

Take half of the softened butter and add to the pan, continuing to whisk. The eggs will start to cook and the mixture will soon start to coat the back of a spoon. At this point add the remaining butter and maintain the stirring. Continue stirring until the mixture thickens considerably. Please keep stirring as we do not want the mixture to curdle. 

Now remove from the heat, place the pan on a cold surface and continue stirring until the mixture is lukewarm.

Whilst the lemon mixture is cooling, raise the oven temperature to 220 C.

Pour or spoon in the mixture into the pastry base, filling to just below the top of the pastry. Place in the top of the oven and cook until the top of the mixture starts to brown in places. This should take between 8 and 12 minutes depending upon the size of the oven.

Remove from the oven, and allow to cool. The lemon mixture will set beautifully smooth and quite firm.

Serve quite thin slices (don't worry, they'll all be back for seconds!) with a little creme fraiche on the side.

This is a dessert to be ate slowly, savouring each and every mouthful!

Enjoy, I know you will !

Baked figs with honey and whiskey ice-cream

The fig season is just about upon us, and here's the most delicious, grown up dessert ! This is not a dessert to skimp on, the best quality ingredients will produce the best results.

Equally, if you're not inclined to make your own ice-cream, think twice before using shop bought. Home-made ice-cream is simple to make and usually vastly superior!

Ingredients

100 ml whiskey (blended or single malt, preferably not too "peaty")

140 ml full fat milk

285 ml double cream

6 medium egg yolks

50 g clear runny honey

12 fresh figs, halved

425 g demerara sugar

two small cinnamon sticks

750 ml port

Begin by heating a heavy bottomed saucepan and add 3/4 of the whiskey. Flame the whiskey as it warms to burn off the alcohol. As the flames die down add the milk and cream. 

Whilst the above is coming to the boil, whisk the egg yolks and the honey together in a food mixer until they have doubled in volume and become light and airy.

Remove the milk and cream of the heat and pour half into the egg yolks. Whisk quickly until combined and then set aside. Place the remaining milk and cream back on the heat and as it reaches the boil, turn down the heat and add the egg mixture. Now whisk well for at least 1 minute.

Pour the mix into a larger bowl to help reduce the temperature and add the remaining whiskey, stirring well. Cover with cling film and chill in the fridge (the bowl not you!)

Once thoroughly cool, place the mixture into an ice-cream machine and follow manufacturers instructions. (Usually it will take 30 - 40 minutes to produce the ice-cream). Alternatively, pour the mix into a freezer-proof container, place in the freezer, removing and beating every 20 minutes until set.

Now to bake the figs! Pre-heat your oven to 170 C. Halve each of the figs, through the stalk. Place cut side up into a baking dish and sprinkle evenly with the sugar and port. Add the cinnamon sticks.

Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 30 - 35 minutes, or until the figs are delightfully gooey and the port has formed into a good thick syrup. 

Remove the cinnamon sticks and serve with the syrup and the fantastic whiskey and honey ice-cream. I can assure you there will be no leftovers!

Barbecued mackerel with a samphire and tomato salad

I was cooking a barbecue and hit upon this combination. I have to say it was delicious and thoroughly enjoyed by all the guests!

Samphire is a wonderful edible plant, fresh and vibrant with a real taste of the sea!

Ingredients

4 good sized mackerel

2 lemons sliced

half a fennel bulb thinly sliced

a good hand full of dill

olive oil

400 g samphire

2 large ripe tomatoes

2 garlic cloves, very finely chopped

juice of a lemon

olive oil

freshly ground black pepper

Firstly prepare the mackerel. I'm assuming your fishmonger has gutted them for you! 

Cut three slices into each side of the mackerel. Fill the body cavity with the finely sliced fennel and the dill. Now using cooking string, tie the lemon slices , three to each side of the mackerel, squeeze some lemon juice and olive oil over the mackerel and set aside.

Wash the samphire, removing any woody stems and place in boiling water and cook for no more than 2 minutes. Remove and place in cold water immediately. Now finely dice the ripe tomatoes, splash a little olive oil and lemon juice over them and season with a good amount of black pepper. Remove the samphire from the cold water, dry as well as possible and mix with the prepared tomatoes.

Now, cook the mackerel with their lemon slices bound to the sides over a hot barbecue. Place fish on barbecue and leave for 4 minutes. Resist the temptation to move the fish whilst cooking! After 4 minutes turn the fish and repeat on the other side. 

The result is a beautifully barbecued mackerel with crisp skin and charred lemon slices on the outside, and wonderful moist, flavoursome flesh in the middle. The richness of the mackerel combines fantastically with the fresh salty taste of the samphire and the wonderful ripe tomatoes.

This will make a fabulous supper dish with a nice sour dough perhaps, or forms a great fish course at a barbecue.

Enjoy with an oily chardonnay!

ps: any samphire left over goes great with a poached egg next morning!

Squid with “malaysian style” curry

Seafood curries are my favourites, by a long way!

Particularly the malay style of curry that blends sour with hot and spicy – it’s a real culinary treat and it’s not nearly as complex as it may appear!

Ingredients

2 Large finely diced shallots 

2 Garlic cloves –finely diced

2 tablespoons chopped peeled fresh lemongrass ( 2 stalks) 

2 tablespoons minced seeded red Thai chillies ( 2 chillies) 

2 teaspoons grated, peeled and chopped  fresh ginger 

2 teaspoons grated,  peeled and chopped fresh galangal 

1 teaspoon curry powder - Malaysian if possible

1 1/2 cups light coconut milk

3 Tomatoes, skinned seeded and diced 

250 ml Vegetable/chicken stock – homemade if possible 

1 tablespoon palm sugar

3 tablespoons tamarind concentrate 

1 cauliflower cut into florets

2 medium sized potatoes peeled and diced

2 kaffir lime leaves 

4 or 5 fresh squid with tentacles (cleaned by your fishmonger)

Juice of 1 lemon  

 

Heat a large heavy bottomed pan over medium heat. Add the vegetable oil, shallots, kaffir lime leaves and garlic to pan, and cook for 3 minutes or until fragrant, stirring frequently. Add the potatoes, lemongrass, red thai chillies, ginger, and galangal to the pan, again frying for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Now add curry powder to pan and cook for a further 2 minutes, maintaining the stirring. The dry frying will produce a very fragrant, intense flavour.

Now add the tomatoes, coconut milk, palm sugar, tamarind concentrate, and stock to pan; bring slowly to a boil. Partially cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. Uncover, add the cauliflower and simmer for a further 5 minutes and finally add the squid. Now remove the lime leaves and finally add lemon juice.

Replace lid and cook gently for no more than 5 minutes.

Serve with boiled long grain rice or perhaps make some Roti Jala for a truly authentic Malaysian experience!