Tom Kha Goong - Thai Coconut Shrimp Soup

Aah yeah!

Ingredients


Coconut milk
Stock (vegetable or chicken)
Lime leaves
Galangal
Red Chilli
Lemongrass
Coriander
Lime

Shrimp (Gambas or similar)

Fish sauce
Green chillis
Sesame oil

Rice


Method


Prepare the rice as you like it.


If using long red chillies, slice thinly. Otherwise, chop the red chilli finely. Halve the lime leaves, removing the stem. Slice the galangal. Bash up the lemon grass, so that it releases its flavour but it is still in tact. Or slice lengthways - remember to remove the tough outer leaves. Chop up some coriander.

Empty a tin of coconut milk into a pan. Add 2/3 of the same amount of stock. Add the ingredients above to the pan and bring to a simmer. Add some fish sauce and lime juice.

For the shrimp, you want to keep the head and tail on. Remove the rest of the shell carefully.

Taste the soup. If it is too sweet, add more fish sauce. If it is not spicy enough, mash the green chillies, coriander, fish sauce and sesame oil with a pestle and mortar to make a spicy paste. Add it to the soup and stir.

Boil the shrimp in the soup for about 4 minutes. Serve the soup, and top with fresh coriander and squeeze of lime. Together with the rice, it makes a substantial and tasty meal.

Paella

Paella. 'Nuff said.

Ingredients

Chicken breast

Chorizo

Squid

Peppers

Onion

Paella rice (250g)

White wine
Prawns

Chicken stock (500ml)

Saffron

Method

Clean and briefly boil the squid. Skin and chop the tomatoes.

Season the chicken. Fry in olive oil. Remove from the pan.

Fry the chorizo and bell peppers in the same pan. Remove from pan.

Fry the diced onion, then add the rice. Throw in some white wine. Add the chopped tomatoes.

Return the chorizo and peppers to the pan. Throw in some saffron. Add the stock. Put the chicken breasts and langoustine atop the rice. Cover and bring back to the boil.

Place in a pre-heated oven (about 160) for about 30 minutes. Leave it with lid on for 10 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley. Squeeze lemon over it. Enjoy!

Salmon Cream Spaghetti

Easy but delicious

Ingredients

Salmon fillet

Spaghetti

Double cream

Thyme

Dill

Broccoli/asparagus

Method

Boil a big pan of water with plenty of salt and oil. Add the spaghetti. High-grade spaghetti will take about 9 minutes for al dente.

Scale and season the salmon fillet - you want a heavy seasoning of salt and pepper. Fry it, skin side down, in butter.

Steam the broccoli (ideally miniature florets) or cook the asparagus in some boiling water and butter.

Turn over the salmon fillet. Transfer to a warmed plate after about 2 minutes (depends on thickness of fillet).

If the salmon pan is clean, add the cream (if not, use a new pan), dill and thyme. Add a heap more pepper and some salt. Drain the spaghetti and add to the lightly simmering cream mixture.

Layer the salmon fillet on top of the spaghetti, and line with broccoli.

The pink salmon and bright greens offset the pale pasta perfectly. An unctuous creamy dish.

Ginger, chilli and soy marinated Asian Tuna steak, avocado guacamole, red pepper rice

Dribble...

Ingredients

Tuna

Ginger

Kikkoman shoyu (soy sauce)

Sesame oil

Birds eye chilli

Sugar

Lime

Red pepper, diced

Onion, diced

Rice

Avocado

Salt

Olive oil

Lime

Method

Needs a few hours marinating time, preferably more. Mix the grated ginger, shoyu, oil, lime juice and chilli (1 per steak). Pour over the tuna. Leave in fridge.

Dice the pepper and onion and fry in oil. Add rice and salt. Stir. Add boiling water to a half a cm above the rice and simmer at lowest heat (reduction method).

Scoop out the flesh of the avocado, add the oil, salt and a squeeze of lime juice. Mix it hard.

Sear the tune steak in a lightly oiled griddle for about 1 minute each side.

Serve with steamed pak choi, or some other refreshing green. Creating flavour on ya!

Cheese on toast a la Smoked Mackerel

A bizarre combo, but it works!

Ingredients

Smoked mackerel

Cheese (parmesan, or even cheddar)

Cream

Horseradish

Chillies

Bread

Method

Remove the skin and bones from the mackerel. Add the grated cheese, cream and grated horseradish. Season with plenty of pepper. Mix it.

Smother the mixture on toast and top with fresh chopped chillies.

Serve with a salad.

Fried Hake, Dill Peas with Hollandaise Sauce

Mmm...

Ingredients:

Hake

Peas

Butter

Dill

Egg yolks

Butter

Lemon

Water

Method:

First make the hollandaise. Boil a pan of water. In a bowl over the top, add 2 or 3 egg yolks. Splosh in a wee bit of water and mix. Gradually add the butter (loads of butter - rough guide: 3 yolks to 250g butter) and keep mixing. Squeeze in some lemon and add pepper generously. Mix and turn off heat. It will stay good, but mix it every now and then.

Prepare the peas. Add hefty butter and salt. Mix. Add the dill. Bosh!

The hake can be bony. Take 'em out. The skin is optional. It's not great. Season it. Coat with flour or make a crumby seasoning. Pan fry in butter. Turn the fish and lower the heat.

Swordfish on Fennel and Red Onion

Swordfish is a hearty meat that can take the big flavours.

Ingredients:

Swordfish

Fennel

Red Onion

Capers

Dill

White Wine

Method:

Caramelize the chopped fennel and red onion in butter. It will take a while. Meanwhile, steam the swordfish in a... steamer. Add a splosh of white wine to the fennel and red onion and some chopped capers.

Mackerel Ceviche, Beetroot Puree, Simple Salad, Bread

Today's lunch was mackerel. What a beautiful fish! And cheap too.

Ingredients:

Mackerel
Chilli
Dill
Lemon
Salt

Beetroot
Red wine vinegar
Cream
Dill/Parsley

Salad leaves
Olives
Olive oil

Bread

Method:

Fillet the mackerel (see this guide on filleting mackerel) and remove the skin. Chop into small pieces. Chop the chilli and the dill. Mix it all together in a bowl with the lemon juice and season it lightly. Leave to stand for at least 5 minutes. The lemon juice effectively "cooks" the mackerel, but it still has that raw texture.

Mix the beetroot in a blender with the red wine vinegar, a splash of cream and the herbs. It should be sweet, sour, creamy and colourful, but it should still have some rough texture.

Make a simple salad of leaves and olives tossed with olive oil, and well seasoned.

Serve with fresh, warm bread.