Grilled mackerel with escalivada & toasts

Ingredients

For the escalivada

·         3 very large or 4 medium peppers  a mix of colours

·         1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced

·         3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

·         2 medium aubergines        

zest 1 lemon , juice of ½

·       1 rosemary  sprig, finely chopped

·         2 tbsp small capers , drained

·         small pack flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

For the fish and toasts

·         2 rosemary  sprigs, finely chopped

·         3 garlic cloves, crushed

·         3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve (optional)

·         1 large olive ciabatta, cut into 8 slices

·         ¼ tsp chilli flakes or hot paprika

·         4 mackerel fillets, pin-boned and cut in half if large (or 8 butterflied sardines)

Method

1.    Heat the grill as hot as it will go. Line the grill pan or a large baking tray with foil. Using a potato peeler, remove most of the skin from the peppers, then remove the seeds and slice into 1cm strips. Toss with the onion and 1 tbsp oil, then grill for 15 mins, stirring halfway, until soft and charring here and there.

2.    Cut the aubergines into 1cm half moons and brush sparingly with 2 tbsp oil. Lay the slices over the peppers, season well, then grill for 5 mins until golden. Turn the aubergines over, scatter with the lemon zest and rosemary, then grill for 5 mins more until golden and soft in places. Stir the capers and the lemon juice into the vegetables. Season and set aside. Make and chill up to 3 days ahead; the flavours will intensify as it matures. Make sure you serve it just warm, with the parsley folded through it.

3.    For the toasts and fish, mix the rosemary, crushed garlic, oil and some seasoning. Brush half of this over one side of the ciabatta slices. Mix the chilli into the remainder, then brush over the fish and let it marinate for anything from 5 mins to 1 hr in the fridge. Grill the fish, skin-side up (or barbecue skin-side down), for 4-5 mins, depending on the thickness of flesh, until just cooked through and the skin is crisp. Grill the bread until sizzling and golden. Top the toasts with the escalivada, followed by the fish, and serve with another drizzle oil, if you like.

Cardamom whirls

Ingredients

·         500g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting

·         85g butter , cut into small pieces

·         1 x 7g sachet easy-blend dried yeast·        

50g golden caster sugar

·         1 tsp ground cardamom

·         250ml milk For the filling and topping

·         175g white marzipan , grated

·         2 tsp ground cardamom

·         50g butter , melted

·         1 egg , lightly beaten

·         10 sugar cubes, broken into small pieces

Method

1.    Tip the flour and ½ tsp salt into a food processor fitted with a dough blade. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the yeast, then the sugar and cardamom.

2.    Warm the milk until it is hand hot, then add to the dry mix to form a soft dough. Process the dough for 2 mins, then leave in the machine to rise for about 1 hr until it springs back when pressed with a finger. Process the dough briefly in the machine, then tip out onto a lightly floured surface.

3.    Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Line 2 baking sheets with baking paper. For the filling, mix the marzipan with the cardamom and butter. Roll out sthe dough to a 50 x 20cm rectangle. Spread the filling over the dough to within 1cm of the edges. Roll up the dough from one long edge. Cut into 20 slices, about 3cm thick, then transfer to the baking sheets, cut sides up. Cover with a tea towel and leave to rise for 30-40 mins until well risen.

4.    Brush the whirls with beaten egg and sprinkle with broken sugar. Bake for 12-15 mins until risen and golden. Best eaten freshly baked, or freeze on the day of baking for up to a month.

Spice & lime chicken

Ingredients

·         150ml pot natural yogurt

·         1 tbsp vegetable oil

·         1 tsp medium curry powder or paste

·         pinch chilli powder

·         juice 1 lime

·         1 garlic clove, crushed

·         4 skinless boneless chicken breasts

·         1 red or green pepper, deseeded and cut into large chunks

·         1 onion, halved and cut into large chunks

·         steamed rice

 and ready-made raita, to serve

Method

1.    In a large bowl, mix together the first 6 ingredients and season to taste. Slash the chicken breasts 5-6 times, without cutting all the way through. Add the chicken breasts and vegetables to the yogurt mix and stir to coat everything completely. Cover and leave the flavours to mingle for 10 mins.

2.    Place a griddle over a high heat and cook the chicken and vegetables for 4 mins each side until the chicken is cooked through and the grill lines are golden. Leave to rest for 2 mins before serving with steamed rice and raita.

Berry omelette

Ingredients

·         1 large egg

·         1 tbsp skimmed milk

·         3 pinches of cinnamon

·         ½ tsp rapeseed oil

·         100g cottage cheese

·         175g chopped strawberry

, blueberries and raspberries

Method

1.    Beat egg with milk and cinnamon. Heat oil in a 20cm non-stick frying pan and pour in the egg mixture, swirling to evenly cover the base. Cook for a few mins until set and golden underneath. There’s no need to flip it over.

2.    Place on a plate, spread over cheese, then scatter with berries. Roll up and serve.

Grilled fish with new potato & spring onion crush

Ingredients

·         450g baby new potato

·         50g butter

·         1 bunch sliced spring onions

·         4 fillets of firm white fish

·         garnish with watercress

 and serve with mayonnaise

Method

1.    Cook the new potatoes in boiling salted water for 12 minutes until just tender and drain.

2.    Melt the butter in a pan and cook the sliced spring onions for 3-4 minutes until soft.

3.    Lay the 4 fish fillets on a buttered tray, skin side up. Brush with melted butter and grill for 8-10 minutes until the skin is crisp and the fish is tender.

4.    Crush the potatoes and spring onions lightly. Divide the mixture between four warm plates and top with the fish. Garnish with watercress and serve with mayonnaise.

Cinnamon & blueberry French toast

Ingredients

·         3 tbsp maple syrup

·         150g blueberries

·         2 tbsp gram flour

·         2 tbsp ground almonds

·         2 tsp cinnamon

·         200ml oat milk or rice milk

·         1 tbsp golden caster sugar

·         1 tsp vanilla extract

·         6 slices of thick white bread

·         grapeseed oil, for frying

·         icing sugar, for dusting

Method

1.    Gently heat the maple syrup and blueberries in a saucepan until the berries start to pop and release their juices, then set them to one side in the pan. Whisk the flour, almonds, cinnamon, milk and vanilla together in a shallow bowl.

2.    Heat a little oil in a frying pan. Dip a slice of bread into the milk mixture, shake off any excess and fry the bread on both sides until it browns and crisps at the edges. Keep the slices warm in a low oven as you cook the rest. Serve with the blueberries spooned over and dust with icing sugar.

Sticky chicken drumsticks

Ingredients

·         16 chicken  drumsticks

·         coleslaw, to serve

·         sliced red chilli and spring onions, to serve

For the marinade

·         3 tbsp soy sauce    

2 shallots , roughly chopped

·         2 tbsp honey      

large piece ginger , finely grated

·         8 garlic cloves, finely grated

·         2 tsp chilli flakes

·         3 tbsp mirin

Method

1.    Tip all of the marinade ingredients into a mixing bowl with a good grinding of pepper and whisk them together. Score the drumsticks with a sharp knife, if you like, and toss them in the marinade. Cover and chill for as long as you can – overnight is good but 24 hrs is even better.

2.    Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 4. Lay the drumsticks on a shallow roasting tray and spoon over any excess marinade from the bowl. Roast the chicken for 40 mins, then baste with the sticky juices in the tin. Turn the oven up to 220C/200C fan/gas 8 and continue to cook the chicken for 20 mins more, or until caramelised (it’s fine for it to char a little). Use tongs to lift the chicken onto a platter and scatter over some sliced red chilli and spring onions, if you like. Serve with coleslaw and plenty of napkins. Cold beers are optional.