Madras fish curry of snapper, tomato and tamarind

Ingredients

60ml (2fl oz) vegetable oil

1 tbsp yellow mustard seeds

1 large onion, finely chopped

15g/3 cloves garlic, finely crushed

30 fresh curry leaves

2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder

2 tsp ground coriander

2 tsp turmeric

1 x 400g (14oz) can chopped tomatoes

100ml (3½fl oz) tamarind liquid

2 green chillies, each sliced lengthways into six pieces, with seeds

1 tsp salt

700g (1lb 9oz) snapper fillets, cut into 5cm (2in) chunks

Boiled basmati rice

Method:

Heat the oil in a heavy-based saucepan or karahi over a medium heat. When hot, add the mustard seeds and fry for 30 seconds, then stir in the onion and garlic and fry gently for about 10 minutes until softened and lightly golden.

Add the curry leaves, chilli powder, coriander and turmeric and fry for two minutes, then stir in the tomatoes, tamarind liquid, green chillies and salt and simmer for about 10 minutes until rich and reduced.

Add the fish, cook for a further five minutes or until just cooked through, and serve with plain rice.

(courtesy of Rick Stein)

• 
  
  
  

Codcakes in tomato sauce

Serve with bulgar, rice, couscous or bread, alongside sautéed spinach or Swiss chard.

SERVES 4

For the codcakes:
white bread, crusts removed 3 slices
cod (sustainably sourced), halibut, hake or pollock fillet, skinless and boneless 600g
medium onion 1, finely chopped
garlic cloves 4, crushed
flat-leaf parsley 30g, finely chopped
coriander 30g, finely chopped
ground cumin 1 tbsp
salt 1 tsp
large free-range eggs 2, beaten
olive oil 4 tbsp

For the tomato sauce:
olive oil 2 tbsp
ground cumin 1 tsp
sweet paprika ½ tsp
ground coriander 1 tsp
medium onion 1, chopped
white wine 125ml
chopped tomatoes 400g tin
red chilli 1, deseeded and finely chopped
garlic clove 1, crushed
caster sugar 2 tsp
mint leaves 2 tbsp, roughly chopped
salt and black pepper

Method:

First make the tomato sauce. Heat the olive oil in a very large frying pan for which you have a lid, and add the spices and onion. Cook for 8-10 minutes, until the onion is completely soft. Add the wine and simmer for 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, chilli, garlic, sugar, ½ tsp of salt and some black pepper. Simmer for about 15 minutes, until quite thick, taste to adjust the seasoning and set aside.

While the sauce is cooking make the fish cakes. Place the bread in a food processor and blitz to form breadcrumbs. Chop up the fish very finely and place in a bowl with the bread and everything else, apart from the olive oil. Mix well and then, using your hands, shape the mixture into compact cakes, about 2cm thick and 8cm wide. The mixture should make 8 cakes. If they are very soft, refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up. Heat up half the oil in a frying pan and sear the cakes for 3 minutes on each side, so they colour well.

Add the remaining oil as you fry the cakes. Place the seared cakes gently, side by side, in the tomato sauce. Add enough water to partially cover the cakes, about 200ml. Cover the pan with the lid and simmer on a very low heat for 15-20 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the cakes to settle, uncovered, for at least 10 minutes before serving warm or at room temperature, sprinkled with mint.

(Courtesy of Ottolenghi, Jerusalem)

Smoked Salmon Pancake Rolls

You can make these 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. Serve with horseradish mixed with creme fraiche

Ingredients:

2 large free-range eggs

120 g plain flour

180 ml milk

8 tablespoons olive oil

sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

butter, for frying

150 ml crème fraîche

1 small bunch fresh chives

200 g smoked salmon, from sustainable sources, ask your fishmonger

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Method:

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.

Heat a 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). Let the pancakes cool.

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. Sprinkle with the remaining chives before serving.

(Courtesy of Jamie Oliver)

Trout with Samphire and Beurre Blanc

Ingredients:

For the beurre blanc

140g/5oz chilled unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

2 medium shallots, peeled, thinly sliced

½ garlic clove, peeled, thinly sliced

1 sprig fresh thyme

1 small bay leaf

3 black peppercorns, crushed

150ml/5fl oz dry white wine

1 tsp white wine vinegar

sea salt flakes

1-2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

For the trout

2-3 tbsp plain flour

salt and freshly ground black pepper

2-3 tbsp sunflower oil

2 x 200g/7oz thick-cut brown or rainbow trout fillets

For the samphire

2 handfuls marsh samphire, rinsed thoroughly, tough stems removed, broken up into small pieces

1 tbsp butter

1-2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1. For the beurre blanc, heat one tablespoon of the butter in a non-reactive pan over a medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the shallots, garlic, thyme, bay leaf and peppercorns and fry for 2-3 minutes, or until the shallots have softened but not coloured.

2. Add the white wine and wine vinegar and bring the mixture to the boil. Continue to boil until most of the liquid has evaporated, then gradually whisk in the chilled butter cubes, one at a time, until all of the butter has been incorporated into the mixture and the sauce has thickened and is glossy.

3. Strain the beurre blanc through a fine sieve into a warmed bowl, then season, to taste, with salt and pour over the lemon juice. Keep warm. (NB: Do not leave the beurre blanc in too warm a place or the sauce may split.)

4. For the trout, heat a large frying pan over a high heat. Sprinkle the flour onto a plate and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Pat the fish fillets fry with kitchen paper.

5. Dredge the trout fillets, skin-sides down, in the seasoned flour, then shake off any excess flour. Dip the floured sides of the trout fillets in the sunflower oil.

6. When the pan is hot, add the trout fillets, floured-sides down, and fry for 3-4 minutes, or until more than half of the trout flesh has turned opaque and the skin is crisp and golden-brown. (NB: The skin needs to be flat against the pan to crisp up all over, so press the trout fillets down with a fish slice if the heat makes them arch up.)

7. Turn the trout fillets over carefully and continue to fry for a further minute, or until the trout fillets are almost cooked through but are still slightly rare in the centre.

8. Meanwhile, for the samphire, add the samphire to a pan of boiling water (do not add salt) and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until tender. Drain well, then return the samphire to the pan, add the butter and lemon juice and season, to taste, with freshly ground black pepper.

9. To serve, divide the samphire between two warmed plates. Place the trout on top and spoon over the beurre blanc.

Smoked Haddock & Leek Risotto

Ingredients:

400g smoked haddock

olive oil

butter

4 young leeks , halved lengthways and thinly sliced

300g arborio rice or carnaroli rice

1 glass dry white wine

chicken stock fresh, cube or concentrate, made up to 1.5litres, kept simmering

a small bunch of chive , snipped

Method:

Put the haddock in a heatproof dish and just cover with boiling water. Cover with clingfilm and leave for 10 minutes. Flake into decent-sized chunks.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp oil and a knob of butter in a wide shallow pan then add the leeks. Cook slowly for 10 minutes until completely softened. Turn up the heat, add the rice and stir to coat the grains. Pour in the wine and stir until absorbed. Add the stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring each lot in, until the rice is just tender and creamy (you might not need to use all the stock). Stir in the haddock and chives and serve.

Seared Halibut Fillet With Bengali-Style Mustard Sauce

A deconstruction of a dopiaza made at the Cinnamon Club.

SERVES 4

For the mustard sauce:

mustard oil 2 tbsp
bay leaf 1
black onion seeds ½ tsp
fennel seeds ½ tsp
onion 1, finely sliced
ginger-garlic paste 1 tsp using 2.5cm piece of ginger and 1 clove garlic, grated on a microplane, or use chopped ginger and chopped garlic
red chilli powder ½ tsp
ground turmeric ½ tsp
tomato 1, finely chopped
wholegrain mustard 2 tbsp
fish stock or water 500ml
green chillies 3 slit lengthwise in ½
salt 1 tsp
sugar ½ tsp
garam masala ¼ tsp
fresh coriander 1 tbsp, chopped
coconut milk 240ml

For the marinade:

black onion seeds ½ tsp
fennel seeds ½ tsp
dried red chilli 1, coarsely crushed
vegetable or corn oil 1 tbsp
salt 1 tsp
thick halibut fillet (or pollock or other firm white fish) 4 x 180g pieces
vegetable or corn oil 1 tbsp
pressed rice flakes (pawa) 2 tbsp

To garnish:

ghee or butter 2 tsp
red onion 1, cut into rings
black onion seeds a pinch
salt a pinch
lemon juice of ½

First make the mustard sauce. Heat the oil in a heavy-based pan, add the bay leaf, onion seeds and fennel seeds, then quickly add the onion. Sauté until the onion is golden brown, then add the ginger and garlic paste, chilli powder and turmeric. Stir-fry over a medium heat for 3-4 minutes, then add the tomato and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently so the mixture doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. Add the mustard and cook over a medium heat for 3 minutes. Now pour in the stock or water and bring to a simmer.

Add the green chillies, salt, sugar, garam masala and coriander, then add coconut milk, cover the pan and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Check the seasoning, remove from heat and set aside.

Mix together all the ingredients for the marinade, rub them over the fish and set aside for 10-15 minutes. To cook the fish, heat the oil in a large ovenproof frying pan, add the halibut, skin-side down, and sear for 3-4 minutes. Turn and sear the other side for 2 minutes, then transfer the pan to an oven preheated to 200C/gas mark 6 for 6-8 minutes, until the fish is just cooked. Sprinkle with pressed rice flakes (pawa) and serve immediately.

Meanwhile, for the garnish, heat the ghee or butter in a frying pan, add the onion rings and cook, stirring constantly, until tender and well browned. Sprinkle with the black onion seeds and salt and drizzle with the lemon juice.

To serve, pour the sauce on to 4 deep plates, place the fish on top and garnish with the onion rings. 

(Courtesy of The Cinnamon Club)