Fish in banana leaf with egg and peanut salad

Ingredients
For the Parsee fish
1 tsp salt
½ tsp ground turmeric
4 grey mullet, head and backbone removed (ask your fishmonger to do this)
1 fresh coconut, flesh grated (or 200g/7oz desiccated coconut, soaked in water and squeezed dry)
2 large bunches fresh coriander, leaves only
4-5 long green chillies
6-8 garlic cloves
7.5cm/3in piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1 heaped tsp cumin seeds, toasted
1 tbsp caster sugar
1-2 limes, juice only
1 large bunch fresh mint, leaves only
3-4 tbsp water, as necessary
4 banana leaves, trimmed, any hard stem removed (available from some Asian grocers, sometimes frozen)
4 tbsp malt vinegar

For the egg and peanut salad
5 free-range eggs, hard boiled, cooled, peeled
6 tbsp freshly grated coconut (or desiccated coconut, soaked in water and squeezed dry)
1-2 large green chillies, trimmed, finely chopped
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
1 tbsp tamarind pulp (or 1½ tsp tamarind concentrate, available from Asian grocers)
3-4 tbsp chopped roasted peanuts
1 tbsp chopped shallots
2 tbsp chopped fresh tomatoes
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation method

For the Parsee fish, preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.

In a bowl, mix together the salt and ground turmeric until well combined, then rub the spice mixture into the fish.

Blend the grated coconut, coriander, chillies, garlic, ginger, cumin seeds, sugar, lime juice and mint to a paste in a food processor. If necessary, gradually add enough water, a tablespoon at a time, to loosen the mixture.

Rub the paste all over each seasoned grey mullet, both on the outside skin of the fish and inside the belly cavities.

Pass one side of each of the banana leaves over the flame of a gas cooker (5-10 seconds is sufficient) to soften the leaves. Alternatively, soften the leaves using a chefs' blow torch.

Place one piece of fish into the centre of each banana leaf. Fold the leaves over to make four parcels. Tie each parcel securely with string.

Place the banana leaf parcels into a roasting tray. Sprinkle over the malt vinegar and a few drops of cold water. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes.

For the egg and peanut salad, cut each of the hard-boiled eggs in half. Remove the yolks from the whites. Crumble the yolks, then finely chop the whites.

In a bowl, mix together the diced egg whites, crumbled egg yolks and the remaining egg and peanut salad ingredients. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

To serve, place one banana leaf parcel into the centre of each of four serving plates. Remove the string from the banana leaf parcels and open them up. Serve a portion of the egg and peanut salad alongside each Parsee fish portion, inside the banana leaf.

Coconut and prawn broth with rice, spinach and chilli

Ingredients
1 tbsp vegetable oil
5 large prawns, shells and heads only
½ fresh green chilli, chopped
25g/1oz fresh ginger, sliced
¼ onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
300ml/½ pint boiling water
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp tomato purée
1 tbsp grated fresh coconut
1 lime, juice only
handful fresh spinach
25g/1oz basmati rice, cooked
small handful fresh coriander leaves, to garnish

Preparation method
Heat the vegetable oil in a medium saucepan, add the prawn shells and heads, chilli, ginger, onion and garlic and sauté for 2-3 minutes.

Add the water, curry powder, tomato purée, grated coconut and lime juice. Bring to the boil and cook for ten minutes.

Place a fine sieve over another clean pan, pass the mixture through the sieve and discard everything that is left in the sieve. Add the spinach and rice to the broth and stir.
To serve, pour into a bowl and garnish with coriander leaves.

Cod with mussels chorizo fried croutons and saffron mayonnaise

Ingredients

saffron mayonnaise
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
Pinch of saffron threads, crumbled
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
mussels
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup chopped shallots (about 2 small)
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
Pinch of saffron threads
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 pounds mussels, scrubbed, debearded
4 fresh thyme sprigs
1/2 cup smoked Spanish chorizo,* diced
1/4 cup finely diced seeded tomato
1/4 cup finely diced roasted red pepper from jar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
fried croutons
Canola oil (for deep-frying)
3 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
12 1-inch torn pieces crustless sourdough bread (about 5 ounces)
Cod
1 8-ounce bottle clam juice
1 cup dry white wine
1 12-ounce cod fillet, cut into 4 equal pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil


Preparation

SAFFRON MAYONNAISE
Mix lime juice and saffron in small bowl. Let stand 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Whisk in mayonnaise, oil, and hot pepper sauce. Cover and chill at least 4 hours to allow flavors to develop. DO AHEAD Can be made 3 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.

MUSSELS
Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add shallots, garlic, crushed red pepper, and saffron and sauté 4 minutes. Add wine; bring to boil. Add mussels and thyme; cover and cook until mussels open, about 5 minutes (discard any mussels that do not open). Strain mussel broth into large saucepan; add chorizo, tomato, roasted pepper, and parsley to liquid. Remove mussels from shells.

DO AHEAD Mussels and cooking broth can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover separately and refrigerate.

FRIED CROUTONS
Pour enough oil into heavy large saucepan to reach depth of 3 inches. Attach deep-fry thermometer to side of pan. Heat oil to 350°F. Whisk eggs, milk, and cayenne in large bowl. Add bread; stir to coat. Let soak 2 minutes. Drain off excess liquid. Working in batches, add bread to hot oil and cook until brown, turning as necessary, about 2 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels and drain.
meanwhile, prepare COD

Preheat oven to 350°F. Bring clam juice and wine to simmer in small saucepan. Pour into 7x5-inch baking dish. Add cod pieces to dish; sprinkle with salt and drizzle with oil. Bake until fish is opaque in center, basting with poaching liquid twice, about 8 minutes.
Bring mussel broth to simmer. Add mussels and heat through. Divide mussels and broth among 4 shallow soup bowls. Top each with piece of cod, 3 croutons, and dollop of saffron mayonnaise.

Whole Pan-fried Reef Fish

2 – serving

Bush – Lemon – Soy Vinaigrette
15 Grams Garlic
5 Grams Ginger
30ml sesame oil
60ml Olive oil
50 ml Lemon Juice
30 ml Hosin Sauce
5 grams Coriander Leaves

Method Sauté garlic and ginger in the sesame oil till soft & place into a small insert. Add the other ingredients and blend with a mixer until smooth.

Preparation Fish
1 Reef Fish 800grams
50 grams carrots Julianne
50 grams Capsicum Julianne
50 grams Cheese cabbage Julianne
100 Grams Flour
20 grams Garlic
20 grams ginger paste
30ml Lemon Juice 300ml Vegetable oil for frying

To Prepare:
Score Fish with a knife. Rub garlic & ginger into all crevices. Season with salt & pepper & coat with
lemon juice. Dredge Fish in flour and pan fried on both sides till done. Transfer Fish to a platter. Blanch vegetables in salted water and arrange on top of Fish and bring the lemon – Soy Vinaigrette to a boil in a smallpan and pour over the Fish and vegetables, garnish and serve

Pan fried fillet of Coral Trout

Fillet of coral trout – 200grs
Steamed dalo – 100grs
Dalo leaves 50grs
Half pawpaw peeled
Butter 100grs

Method Fish fillet to be seasoned with oil, salt, crushed garlic, lemon and ginger juice, for few minute only, get pan heat the pan on a very low heat with butter, deep the fish in the flour to dry up, then put the fish in the pan, when its brown turn the fish and take the pan away from the stove, it will be cooked by the heat of the pan, Get another pan stir fry the steamed rourou leaves with finely chopped onions, Get another pan put some butter when it is lightly heat, place the sliced steamed dalo till brown, Pour the fried rourou on the centre of the plate, then lay the fish on top of the rourou, place the thin slice fried dalo around the plate, and garnish with ripe sliced pawpaw

Palm Sugar, Lime & Chilli Dressing

- Fijian Food Safari

This dressing is a perfect balance of sweetness, heat, sourness and salt

This dressing is a palm sugar syrup reduction that is balanced out with citrus and fish sauce to create a wonderfully sweet but balanced dressing for salads, grilled meats or seafood.
500gm        Thai Yellow Palm sugar (not the darker Indonesian palm sugar)
150ml         Water
4-5             Garlic cloves, chopped fine
2-3             Limes, juiced
30ml           Fish sauce
2-3             Small red/green chillies
10gm          Coriander root, cleaned & chopped

Method:

In a saucepan, add the palm sugar and water on a medium heat until the blocks of sugar dissolve.
Reduce heat to simmer until it forms a sugar syrup consistency like maple syrup.   Allow to cool.
Transfer the sugar syrup to a glass mixing bowl, and add the garlic, chilli, lime juice and coriander roots.  Whisk then cover and put in the fridge for a least 30 mins to allow the flavours to infuse
Slowly add the fish sauce to balance the other strong flavours

Madurai Chicken Curry - South Indian recipe

by Fijian Food Safari

This recipe can easily be adapted for any meat or vegetables.  Make the roasted curry paste before you start cooking, as this will be added at the very end with the flavours giving this curry a very distinct aroma.  Adjust the chillies as needed.

500gm   Chicken pieces
2 ea        Dry or fresh red chillies
2 tsp      Ginger & garlic paste (50/50)
1 sprig   Curry leaves
1 ea        Tomato
½ tsp     Haldi
1 cup     Water

Curry Paste
Toast the spices, coconut and nuts in a little oil, then grind/blend to a smooth paste

8 ea        Dry or fresh red chillies
2 Tsp      Coriander seeds (dhaniya)
1 tsp      Cumin seeds (jeera)
1 tsp      Black peppercorns
¼ cup    Grated or dessicated coconut
10 pc      Cashews or peanuts

In a pot, fry the dry chillies, onion, ginger/garlic & curry leaves for 1 minute
Add the tomato, haldi – fry for another 2 minutes
Add the chicken pieces and mix well until the pieces are coated with the sauce
Add water, bring to the boil and simmer for another 20-25 minutes or until the chicken is just about cooked
Add the cooked curry paste and stir through, bring to the boil once.
Remove from heat and serve with rice or roti

Thai Garlic Fish

-Fijian Food Safari

1 cup         Fresh coriander (dhaniya)
5 cloves     Fresh garlic, chopped fine
1 small pc  Fresh ginger, chopped fine
¼ cup         Water
1 Tbsp       Lime juice
1 Tbsp       Light soy sauce
2 Tbsp       Thai Fish sauce
2 Tbsp       Brown or raw sugar
½               Red or green capsicum, deseeded & diced
1 Tbsp       Salt

Put the water, lime juice, soy sauce, fish sauce and brown sugar in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. 
Add the chopped herbs and capsicum and cook for about 3 minutes on medium heat. Set aside.
Score (cut) fish and squeeze lime juice on both sides and inside the stomach. 
Rub inside and out with salt and allow to marinate for about 15 minutes, then pat dry with paper towel. 
Fry the fish in about 1 cup of vegetable oil, 4-5 minutes per side.   Garnish with cucumbers, coriander, fresh capsicum
Serve with rice or root crops

CHINESE BEEF BRISKET STEW

-Fijian Food Safair

Braising Ingredients
1kg      Beef brisket, flank or shanks (or any other meats)
1 cup   Light soy sauce
1 cup   Dark soy sauce
½ cup  Hoi sin sauce
1 cup   Chinese rice wine (or other white wine)
2 cups             Water
2 only Spring Onions
6 slices            Fresh ginger
12 pcs             Sichuan peppercorns
4 pc     Star anise
1 tsp    Chinese Sesame Oil
3 cups Good chicken or beef stock, seasoned

Braising method:
Wash meat to remove blood and trim excess fat if necessary. Place in large pot with rest of ingredients.
Bring to boil. Cover, then simmer for approximately two hours, add additional water if liquid is low.  Continue to cook for another 1-2 hours, checking the meat is soft
Let stew cool.
Noodle soup method:
In a soup pot, add the beef or chicken stock with reserved sauce from the beef stew. Bring to a boil and check seasoning. Set aside.
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add greens to blanch for a few seconds, remove and set aside. Cook noodles as directed (do not overcook) and drain.
Reheat the meat stew
Divide noodles into large bowls. Add a few greens and a generous serving of meat stew
Ladle in soup broth. Top with spring onion, chill relish and serve steaming hot.

Navratan Korma Curry

Navratan Korma (“nine gems”) with nine different vegetables, fruit and nuts, from the ancient Mughlai Empire, that will change your mind about boring vegetable curries.  Don’t overcook the vegetables like in many of the Fijian curries I have seen.  Losing its texture and crunchiness also loses its nutritional value and much needed dietary fibre, soft vegetables aren’t as healthy.
 --Fijian Food Safari

Serves 4

Ingredients: 1 tbsp   Butter (or ghee)
1          Large onion, fine chopped
1”        Piece of ginger
4          Garlic cloves (or use 1 tsp ginger garlic paste)
1           Tomato, quartered and pureed (or tinned)
3          Green chillies 10        Cashew nuts, grind to paste
10        Raisins, soaked in warm water, drained and ground to a paste
1 tsp     Tomato paste (or use another pureed tomato)
1 cup   Milk or Cream or Yoghurt
2 cups  Mixed fresh vegetables, chopped different shapes, precooked 50%
Toasted almonds or nuts for garnish

Salt to taste

The Spice Powder
2 tsp     Ground cloves, cardamom + cinnamon, equal amounts
1/2 tsp Red chilli powder
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder (Haldi)
1 tsp     Coriander powder (dhaniya)
1/2 tsp Cumin (Jeera)

Method
Fry the onion, ginger & garlic, until translucent but don’t brown
Add the chilli, cashew nut paste & raisin paste, continue to fry for 2 mins
Add the spice powder and continue frying into a thick paste, add a little water if necessary
Add the tomato paste, milk/cream/yoghurt – combine well, bring to simmering boil
Add cooked vegetables, cook until just tender – not overcooked!
Serve with rice & roti

CORIANDER & HONEY GLAZE FOR PORK RIBS

By Fijian Food Safari

½  cup              Fijian raw honey
2 Tablespoon   BBQ Sauce
2 Tablespoon   Tomato Sauce
1 Tablespoon   HP Sauce
1 Tablespoon   Fijian wild ginger, finely grated
2 Tablespoon   Coriander roots, chopped fine

Tea Smoked Chicken with Orange & Ginger Compote

This recipes calls for the chicken to be pre-cooked first, and then transferred to a smoking oven for the final cooking stage.  This makes lots of smoke so it’s best done outside or in an outdoor kitchen.  To make the smoking oven, you need a tray with holes to hold the chicken, which will sit above another tray of the same size which will have the smoking ingredients burning underneath.  You’ll also need a lid to cover the chicken to keep the smoke in the oven. BBQ kettles are ideal but you can always make something at home. The brown sugar will give the colour and sweetness, the rice acts as a fuel source to keep the ingredients smoking, and Chinese tea will give the aroma.  The alternative is to use chicken breast but be careful not to overcook it.


Tea-Smoked Chicken
 1 ea      Whole Chicken, preferably fresh
½ cup   Chinese jasmine, oolong or green tea leaves
½ cup   Uncooked white rice
½ cup   Brown sugar
1 T        Chinese five-spice powder
6           Whole star anise
1 tsp    Cumin Seeds (Jeera)
1 ea      Cinnamon quill or bark
1 ea      Orange, peel only with as little of the white pith salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

METHOD:
Season the whole chicken with salt and pepper, outside and inside the cavity.  Don’t be shy to put your hand inside the chicken as you need to rub the seasoning deep into the carcass to flavour the meat
Allow to rest in the refrigerator for 2 hours minimum, or overnight.
Steam or boil the chicken until 75% cooked, around 15-20 minutes.  There still should be a little blood around the drumsticks.  Remove and pat skin dry.
Put all the dry ingredients into foil and fold into a parcel – double wrapped.  Pierce a few holes in the parcel for the smoke to escape
Place the parcel in the centre of the bottom tray, or if you have a BBQ kettle, directly over the hot charcoal
Put the chicken in the slotted tray over the smoking parcel
Cover and smoke the chicken for at least 15 minutes, or until the chicken turns golden brown
Serve with fresh vegetables or a salad, with the orange ginger sauce

Orange Ginger Compote
2T        Ginger, finely grated
1-2       Chilli, chopped fine
1T        Coriander root, chopped fine
1T        Orange peel zest, finely grated
4T        Chinese Sesame Oil
1T        Brown sugar
Heat the sesame oil and fry all the ingredients for 2 minutes until the sugar dissolves

Taro Abacus Beads

by Fijian Food Safari

Chinese Abacus Beads
This Chinese New Year dish changes the dalo into chewy coins that taste wonderful in this basic Asian sauce.  Add more meat or vegetable ingredients if you like to create a hearty and very filling stir fry dish that needs no other starch to eat with. You can also make the coins ahead of time and keep refrigerated.

Serves 4

600gm             Dalo, peeled and boiled soft
2 cups              Tapioca or Cassava flour (normal flour won’t work)
6 Tbsp             Cooking oil
200gm             Minced chicken, pork or prawns
3 cloves           Fresh garlic, chopped finely
1 only              Onion, peeled and chopped
2 Tbsp             Light Soy sauce
1 Tbsp             Chinese Oyster sauce
1 Tbsp             Brown sugar or Raw Fiji Honey
1 stalk              Spring onion
1 stalk              Coriander / Dhaniya
1 or more         Fresh chilli, chopped
Pot of boiling water

Using a cheese grater or fine mesh strainer, mash the cooked and cooled dalo into a mixing bowl
Add the tapioca flour (from Chinese shops), and fold with your hands into a smooth paste.  If it is too dry, add a little water, but the paste should be firm.
Roll into little balls, about the size of a 10 cent coin.  Press lightly in the centre of each ball to resemble an abacus bead.
In a pot of boiling water, add 1 Tbsp of cooking oil to prevent the medallions from sticking.
Slowly add a few at a time, otherwise they stick together.  Once they start to float, remove them into another bowl of cold water
When you’re ready to serve, heat a pan or chinese wok with oil on a medium-high heat
Fry the onion, garlic and minced meat, until the meat is fully cooked (approx 5-8 minutes)
Add the sauces, sugar, spring onion and coriander and cook for another 1 minute
Add the dalo medallions and combine to heat through for another 2 minutes
10.  Serve immediately

Moroccan-style Chicken Stew with Tumeric

by Fijian Food Safari

Fragrant and aromatic, this Moroccan Chicken Stew is made with saffron, cumin and turmeric for a Mediterranean-style dish that makes a change from a normal curry and use fresh medicinal turmeric

1 pinch     Saffron threads (optional, but nice!)
1 only     Whole chicken, cut into pieces
3 only     Onions, chopped
3 cloves    Fresh garlic, chopped fine
1 Tbsp     Fresh ginger, chopped fine
2 Tbsp     Fresh haldi (turmeric), peeled and grated
1 only     Cinnamon stick
1 tsp Cumin seeds, toasted and ground
2-3 cups     Chicken stock
¼ cup     Fijian raw honey
2 Tbsp     Olive or coconut oil (vegetable oil if you have none)
Juice of 2 lemons
Handful     Fresh coriander), chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste

Add saffron threads to 2 tbsp. of water. Soak for 10 minutes. Set aside.
Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper.
Seal the chicken pieces first by frying them in a pan over medium heat, making sure  all sides are brown, for about 5-8 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
In the same fry pan you just used, add onions, garlic, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon stick and cumin.  Cook for about 5 minutes to brown the onions and release the herbal flavours.
Stir in saffron water mixture.
Add chicken pieces back to the pan including the juices.  Add enough stock to just cover the chicken. Bring to a boil.
Add honey and reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, stirring regularly.
Cook until chicken is tender and cooked through, about 30 to 35 minutes.
Add the lemon juice and coriander when the chicken is cooked.
Serve with rice or roti bread

Sweet & Sour Pineapple Chicken

By Fijian Food Safari


30ml       Virgin coconut or vegetable oil
1 only     Brown onion, peeled & sliced
1 only     Carrot, peeled, sliced
2 only     Fresh tomato
2 Tbsp    Corn or rice flour, mix with a little water for a slurry
1 pc        Fresh ginger, peeled & sliced
400gm   Fresh pineapple, cut into chunks
1/4 cup  White wine vinegar or normal vinegar
2 Tbps    Light soy sauce
4 Tbsp    Brown sugar or honey
1/4 cup  Tomato puree or ketchup
200ml    Vegetable, Fish or Meat Stock
500gm   Chicken or seafood
                Any fresh vegetables

Marinate chicken or seafood in a little light soy sauce for at least 30 mins
Shallow fry the meat or seafood in virgin coconut oil until sealed, approx 5 mins
In a frypan or wok, cook onion, ginger, carrot & tomato, over medium heat for 2-3 minutes
Add vinegar, soy, sugar, tomato puree and stock - bring to boil
Add the pineapple pieces, cooked meat or seafood and vegetables
Bring to the boil, check meat is fully cooked, and thicken slightly with the flour slurry
Serve with steamed rice

Cassoulet

Serves 6

400g dried haricot beans
bouquet garni
1/2 large onion, cut in quarters
2 garlic cloves, crushed
225g salt pork or unsmoked bacon, cut into cubes
15g clarified butter
400g lamb shoulder
350g boiling sausages
1 celery stalk, sliced
4 pieces of duck confit or 4 pieces roast duck
6 large tomatoes
180g toulouse sausage
4 slices baguette, made into crumbs

1. Put the beans in a bowl and cover with cold water. Soak overnight, then drain and rinse.

2. Put the beans in a large saucepan with the bouquet garni, onion, garlic and salt pork.  Add 2-3 litres of cold water, bring to the boil and then simmer for 1 hour.

3. Heat the clarified butter in a frying pan. Cut the lamb into eight pieces and brown in the butter.  Add the lamb, boiling sausage, celery and duck to the top of the beans and push into the liquid.  Score a cross in the top of each tomato and plunge into boiling water for 20 seconds, then peel the skin away from the cross. Chop the tomatoes finely, discarding the cores, and add to the top of the cassoulet. Push into the liquid and cook for a further hour.

4. Brown the toulouse sausage in the frying pan and add to the top of the cassoulet. Push into the liquid and cook for 30 minutes more. Preheat the oven to 160C (315F)

5. Discard the bouquet garni. Strain the liquid into a saucepan and boil over moderate heat until reduced by two-thirds. Remove all of the meat from the saucepan and slice the sausages and pull all of the duck meat from the bones.  Layer the meat and beans, alternately, in a deep casserole. Pour in the liquid, to come no higer than the top of the beans.

6. Sprinkle the cassoulet with the breadcrumbs, and bake for 40 minutes. Every 10 minutes, break the breadcrumb crust with the back of a spoon to let a little liquid cme through. If the beans ook a bit dry, add a little stock or water to the edge of the dish. Serve straight from the casserole.

Tray-baked salmon with olives, green beans, anchovies and tomatoes

Serves 4

200g/7oz green beans
20 small red cherry tomatoes
1-2 good handfuls of black olives
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 x 225g/8oz thick salmon fillet steaks, with or without skin but definitely pinboned
2 lemons
1 handful fresh basil
12 anchovy fillets

1 Tail the green beans, blanch them until tender in salted, boiling water and drain. Put in a bowl with the cherry tomatoes and the stoned olives. Toss in the olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.

2 Preheat the oven and roasting tray at the highest temperature. Give the salmon fillets a quick wash under the tap and pat them dry with kitchen paper. Squeeze the juice of a 1/2 lemon over the fillets, on both sides, then season both sides with salt and pepper and drizzle a little olive oil over the top. Put the salmon at one end of the roasting tray.

3 Toss the basil into the green beans, etc and place this mixture at the other end of the roasting tray. Lay the anchovies over the green beans. Roast in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and serve with lemon quarters.

Very tasty with some homemade mayonnaise or aioli.

Salt Cod with Potatoes Onions and Black Olives

Serves 6

1-1/2 pounds dried salt cod (Bacalhau)
1/2 medium yellow onion, sliced
2 bay leaves
6 medium red or white rose potatoes
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons fruity Spanish olive oil
4 medium onions, cut crosswise into 1/8 inch slices and separated into rings
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup dry white wine
2 cups fish stock or clam juice
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
24 oilcured black olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup grated Gruyere cheese
1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
Directions
To prepare the salt cod: Rinse the cod well and then immerse it in a container of cold water (cut into chunks, if necessary, to fit). Refrigerate, changing the soaking water 2 or 3 times, until softened (12 to 24 hours, depending on how stiff it was to begin with). Drain the cod, place it in a large saucepan with the onion and the bay leaves, and cover with cold water. Bring just to a boil, reduce the heat to very low, and cover (taste the water at this stage and, if it seems excessively salty, then drain, cover again with fresh cold water, and bring to a boil). Simmer very gently until the fish is opaque and plumped, and falls apart into heavy flakes when prodded, about 20 minutes.
Drain, pat dry, and remove the bones and skin, if necessary. Separate into large flakes and use right away, or refrigerate for up to 2 days before continuing with the recipe.
In a large saucepan of lightly salted boiling water, cook the potatoes whole for about 20 minutes, or until they are tender but not falling apart. Drain and, when cool enough to handle, peel and cut into 1/4 inch slices. In a large heavy skillet, heat 1/3 cup of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion rings and, stirring frequently, cook until they are softened and translucent but not browned, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and remove from the heat.
Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. In a heavy saucepan, reduce the wine by half over medium high heat. Add the fish stock and again reduce by half, then add the cream and reduce by 1/3, so that you have about 2 cups liquid remaining.
Pour this liquid into an earthenware or ceramic casserole about 8 inches in diameter with 4 inch sides. Spread half of the potatoes in the bottom of the casserole, cover them with half of the cod and half of the onions, using a slotted spoon to transfer the onions. Scatter half of the olives over the first layer. Repeat the layer with the remaining potatoes, cod, onions, and olives.
In a small bowl, toss the cheese, bread crumbs, black pepper, and the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil together, then distribute this mixture evenly over the casserole. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the top is golden and crisp. If desired, run the dish under a hot broiler briefly to crisp the topping even more. Scatter the parsley over the top and serve directly from the casserole.

Prawns with coriander, ginger and cardamom

12 green king prawns

Marinade:
2 small hot red chillies, seeds removed and finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tbs ginger, finely chopped
3 tbs coriander, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp cumin powder
4 tbs grapeseed oil
salt and pepper
lemon quarters to serve

Combine the prawns and marinade in large shallow dish - leave for an hour. Brush the grill with oil and grill the prawns for 2-3 mins on each side, pouring all the marinade over them.

Serve with lemon quarters

Lamb Shanks

serves 4

4 lamb shanks
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 small dried red chilli or 2 tsp chopped fresh shilli
1 tbs fresh rosemary
1 tsp dried marjoram or oregano
1 tbs flour
1 tbs olive oil
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
1 large carrott, quartered and finely sliced
6 sticks of celery, quartered and finely sliced
2 onions, quartered and finely chopped
2 tbs balsamic vinegar
170 mil / 6oz dry white wine
6 anchovy fillets
2 tins tomatoes (400g each)
1 handful of fresh basil, marjoram or parsley roughly chopped

Season the lamb with salt and pepper. Smash coriander seeds and chilli and mix the rosemary and marjoram. Roll the lamb in this mixture. Dust the lamb with flour. Heat a thick-bottomed casserole pan, add the oil, brown the meat. Add the garlic, carrott, celery, onions and a pinch of salt, sweat until softened. Add balsamic and allow it to reduce to a syrup. Pour in wine and simmer for 2 minutes. Add anchovies and tinned tomatoes. Shake the pan and return the lamb. Bring to the boil, put on lid and simmer in oven at 180C/350F for 1.5 hours then remove lid and cook further half an hour. Skim off fat and taste for seasoning. Stir in herbs.