Clam Paella

This is partially inspired by TV chef Tomasina (bad spelling I expect) who has just started a new Cook's Tour series on Spain.

There is no traditional Spanish element to this as I chose Clams and Pollock because they looked good and fresh when I went out shopping.

Either way not a bad accompaniment to a glass of white wine on Good Friday.

Ingredients

a chopped onion
a red pepper
a green pepper
2 beef tomatoes
2 cloves of garlic
12 Clams
a good head end piece of Pollock (Any white fish would substitute well)
Arborio rice (2 ladles worth)
a pinch of saffron
Fish Stock (I made my own)- 4 ladles worth
Parsley

Method

Start by softening the onion in olive oil, move to the outer edge of the pan (Tommi's tip) then add the chopped peppers and garlic. After a couple of minutes move the peppers and garlic to the edge of the pan and add the tomatoes - to prepare the tomatoes chop into large chunks and add a shake of sea salt, this aids bringing out the sweetness (apparently). Again wait a couple of minutes and move the tomatoes to the edge of the pan then add the Pollack (cut into 3cm cubes). When the fish is sealed move to the outer edge of the pan and add the clams (Vongoles if you are French). Add the rice and saffron, then add the stock. Turn the heat down low and cook for 20-25 minutes -another top tip from Tommi is to not stir the paella once the stock has been added! This does make for varied texture in the rice (i.e. some of it doesn't cook right good).

The fish stock is something that I concocted myself. I used the pan from Jerusalem artichoke & carrot soup making and used a standard vegetable stock cube with two tablespoons of home made taramasalata (see tomorrow's blog entry for recipe).
Top off with chopped parsley in olive oil and a finely chopped garlic clove - eat with loved ones

Trout with Parsley, Prawn and Caper Sauce

Trout with Parsley, Prawn and Caper Sauce

This was a dinner shared with my mates Dan and Tom. As such we enjoyed a nice glass of wine with the food followed by a truck load of beer, port and cheese then Jagermeister after eating.

Ingredients

Trout fillets
Chopped parsley
salt and pepper

For the sauce
30g goats butter
clove of garlic (crushed)
100ml milk
50g grated parmesan cheese
chopped parsley
a handful of cooked prawns
6 capers

Method

Coat the trout in olive oil and season, scatter with chopped parsley and wrap in foil. Cook the trout for 15 mins in a pre-heated moderate over (180 degrees C).

For the sauce melt the butter with the crushed garlic in a saucepan. When melted stir in the flour and cook out for 30 seconds. Gradually add the milk, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon. Add the capers and when boiled and thickened add the parmesan and the chopped parsley. At the last minute add the prawns

Pour over the fish to serve.

I served this with a spinach and rocket salad and some slow roasted peppers and mushrooms

Thai Style Prawn Porridge

Thai Style Prawn Porridge

This is a bit of a thrown together dish but dead tasty. Not authentic Thai, more inspired by Thai flavours.

Ingredients

300g King prawns (shelled and pre cooked)
2 bok choi, roughly chopped
a sliced red pepper
2 cloves of garlic (crushed)
1cm root ginger (sliced finely)
small piece of dried galangal
a birds eye chillie
one tin of coconut milk
150g cous-cous
Chopped corriander

Method

Heat some groundnut oil in a frying pan and add the garlic, ginger, galangal and chillie for one minute. Keep the chillie whole rather than chopped.
Add the pepper and bok choi for a further minute then add the tin of coconut milk.
After 3 minutes add the cous-cous - this is definitely not Thai style but makes the porridge texture.
After five minutes add the prawns then serve and sprinkle with chopped corriander.

Seared scallops on watercress salad

Seared scallops on watercress salad

Heat olive oil and butter in skillet
Sear seasoned scallops in pan add strips of serano ham
Serve on watercress (nice and peppery) with a pesto dressing (tsp of pesto, olive oil and white wine vinegar)