Galician sea bass / lubina a la gallega

Although this dish is traditionally made with hake - merluza a la gallega - I decided to make it with sea bass.

serves 2

~800g sea bass; de-headed and gutted, sliced

3/4 potatoes; 1cm slices

10cm section leek

1 tomato; halved

1 onion; quartered

1 bay leaf

Maldon sea salt

for the ajada (sauce)

5 large garlic cloves; sliced

100ml olive oil

1 tbsp of paprika - pimentón de la vera

1. Fill a large pan with water and generously salt. Add the potato slices along with the fish head, onion, leek and tomato. Bring to the boil and reduce to a simmer.

2. Cook for between 10 and 15 minutes; until the potatoes are almost cooked.

3. Place the fish slices on top of the potatoes and continue to simmer gently for 5 minutes.

in the meantime...

make the ajada...

4. In a large frying pan; heat the olive oil and add the garlic and cook until lightly golden.

5. Remove from the heat and stir in the paprika: it will cook in the residual heat.

N.B. if you are using a heavy bottomed pan it will be better to transfer the ajada to a bowl after a minute of stirring - paprika is easily burnt.

6. Carefully drain the potatoes and transfer them to a serving dish along with the onion and leek. Drain the fish slices and lay them on top of the potatoes.

N.B. the fish head and tomato are used to add flavour to the cooking water and should be discarded.

7. Give the ajada a little stir and drizzle over the fish and potatoes.

¡De rechuperte! - Yummy!

Baja Fish Tacos

These are so delicious: makes me want to go to Baja California.

serves 2

for the coleslaw

½ red or white cabbage

1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice

2 garlic cloves; crushed

2 free-range egg yolks

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

200ml corn or vegetable oil

zest from 1 lime

Maldon sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

for the mango salsa

1 ripe mango

½  small red onion

¼ red chilli

1 lime; juice and zest

1 pinch Maldon sea salt

for the fish

1 sea bream; filleted and pin-boned

50g plain flour

1tsp chilli powder

1tsp ground cumin

½ tsp pimenton de la vera/ paprika

Maldon sea salt

1 free-range egg; beaten

50g Panko - Japanese breadcrumbs

vegetable oil for frying

4 wheat or corn soft tortillas

feta cheese

extra lime wedges

1. Whisk the mustard, garlic and lime juice into the egg yolks; preferably using an electric whisk. And slowly incorporate the oil in a thread-like drizzle.

2. Finely slice the cabbage using a mandolin; or if not, your knife skills.

3. Stir in enough cabbage to use up the mayo sauce. Add lime zest, salt and pepper to taste.

now the salsa...

4. Finely dice the onion, mango and chilli; then, add the lime juice and zest, and salt to taste.

N.B. there should be a balance between the chilli heat, mango sweetness and the salt.

fish time...

5. Preheat the oven to 150ºC. Wrap the 4 tortillas in aluminium foil; and when the oven is up to temperature, pop the tortillas in to warm through for 15 minutes.

6. In 3 bowls:-

bowl 1: add the flour, spices and salt.

bowl 2: add the beaten egg.

bowl 3: add the Panko breadcrumbs.

7. Heat 2cm of oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet.

8. Cut the fish fillet into smaller pieces: I like to put 2 pieces into each taco.

9. Dip each fillet into the 3 bowls: flour first the egg, then Panko breadcrumbs.

10. Carefully lower the breadcrumbed fillets into the hot oil and fry for a couple of minutes per side or until golden brown.

11. Plate up, roll up and enjoy.

Baked Cod with Advocado, Cherry Tomatoes & Mozzarella / Bacalao al Horno con Aguacate, Tomates Cherry y Mozzarella

serves 2

2 fillets of cod

2 tbsp olive oil

1 small avocado

5 cherry tomatoes

1 ball mozzarella

100ml cream

~30g grated cheddar

Freshly ground black pepper

Maldon sea salt

a handful of Basil leaves

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C

2. Rinse and pat dry the fillets. Pin bone if necessary.

3. Oil the base of a baking tray; and after seasoning the fish on both sides: lay them side by side on the baking tray.

4. Slice the avocado and lay over the fish; followed by the halved cherry tomatoes.

5. Next tear up the mozzarella and lay over the other ingredients.

6. Pour over the cream: then, sprinkle over the cheddar.

7. bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until the fish is cooked.

N.B. The thickness of the fillet will determine the cooking time. If you have a cook's thermometer, cod is cooked when it reaches 54-57°C. If you don't have one, check with a fork that you can easily flake the fish.

8. Plate the fish and finish with some basil leaves.

Ensalada de Verano / Spanish Summer Salad

serves 2-4

You can find this salad in most tapas bars at this time of year. With the addition of some waxy new potatoes and cachos of red and green pepper, you can turn the Murcian Salad into the Summer Salad. This salad is even better the following day; giving the tomatoes more time to release more liquid.

7 ripe tomatoes

25 Manzanilla olives

1 red onion

2 x 80g tins of tuna

3 free-range eggs

3 tbsp olive oil

200g new potatoes

½ red pepper

½ green pepper

Maldon sea salt

1. Cut the onion into quarters and place in a bowl of salted water: this will reduce its strength. 

2. Cut the potatoes so you end up with similar sized pieces. Put them into a pan with cold water and bring to the boil. Carefully add the eggs; and boil for ten minutes.

3. Meanwhile, cut the tomatoes into uneven pieces ( see Ensalada Murciana*).

4. Add the olives.

5. Drain and add the tuna.

6. Drain the onion; and cut into uneven pieces.

7. Drain the eggs and potatoes; then, immediately cool under cold running water: this will stop the cooking process and, more importantly, stop a green film forming around the egg yolk.

8. When the eggs are completely cool; carefully shell and cut into uneven pieces. Add to the salad along with roughly the chopped peppers.

9. Season well and drizzle over the oil.

10. Chill in the fridge for at least an hour.

11. Serve with fresh bread to mop up the juices.

Ensalada Murciana / Murcian Salad

serves 2

7 ripe tomatoes

25 Manzanilla olives

1 red onion

2 x 80g tins of tuna

3 free-range eggs

3 tbsp olive oil

Maldon sea salt

1. Cut the onion into quarters and place in a bowl of salted water: this will reduce its strength. 

2. Put a pan of water on to boil. Carefully add the eggs; and boil for ten minutes.

3. Meanwhile, cut the tomatoes into uneven pieces ( this is the traditional way to cut vegetables*).

4. Add the olives.

5. Drain and add the tuna.

6. Drain the onion; and cut into uneven pieces.

7. Drain the eggs and immediatly cool under cold running water: this will stop the cooking process and, more importantly, stop a green film forming over the egg yolk.

8. When the eggs are completely cool; carefully shell and cut into uneven pieces.

9. Season well and drizzle over the oil.

10. Chill in the fridge for at least an hour.

11. Serve with fresh bread to mop up the juices.

* To cut the uneven slices (cachos): hold the item in one hand and the knife in the other as if paring, but cutting off small pieces.

Dorada a la sal con JAM tartar/ Salt-baked Sea Bream with JAM tartar

As I was writing this recipe up I thought I would have a quick look on the Internet for variations, etc. ; I wasn't surprised to see people stuffing the fish with herbs, although I personally prefer the flavour of the fish. What did surprise me were the recipes which added water (or more bizarrely: egg whites) to the salt to produce a form of mortar. I don't understand the logic behind this; with salt alone the crust is easier to break and the resulting fish is just as moist.

serves 2

~500g whole Sea Bream, scaled and gutted*

~1.5kg Coarse sea salt

300g fresh spinach

olive oil

1 x Greek yoghurt

a handful of cornichon

a pickled onion

Maldon sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Lemon

* In Spain, the fishmongers will gut the fish through a small opening behind the gills for salt-baking. This helps to prevent the baking salt from entering the fish's cavity.

1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC

2. Rinse and pat dry the fish.

3. Place the fish on the baking tray and pour the salt over, along the length of the fish. Continue until the   fish is completely covered; use your hands to compact the salt around the fish.

4. Bake the fish for 15-20 minutes. If you have a cooks' thermometre, you want the fish to be between 52ºC and 57ºC.

for the tartar

5. Finely chop the onion and cornichon, stir into the yoghurt and season.

for the spinach

6. Rinse the spinach, and place in a large pan over a low heat; and wilt.

7. Drain the spinach and place on the serving dish; dress with the olive oil and salt.

8. Break open the salt crust and fillet the fish. Place the fillets on top of the spinach.

9. serve with lemon wedges.

smoked salmón pâté

Smoked Salmon Pate  /\                                                      

makes 300g

1 200g packed of smoked salmón slices

2 tablespoons cream cheese

2 tablespoons creme fraiche

few sprigs of fresh dill

Chop the Smoked Salmon. Place all the ingredients into a bowl (except the dill) and using a hand blender bring together. Don't whizz too much as you want to keep a little texture. finish with the fresh dill.

Salmonetes with oregano, lemon and black olive mash

serves 2

5 salmonetes, cleaned
1/2 clove of garlic
Maldon sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
a handful of fresh oregano
2 tablespoons of olive oil
juice of 1/2 a lemon

for the mash
7 new pots, skin on
a handful of black olives
olive oil

Put a pan of salted water on to boil. Boil the new potatoes until tender.

Finely chop or press the garlic and add it to the olive oil and lemon juice. Then finely chop the oregano and stir this into the mixture.Put a few scores diagonally across the skin of the fish. Season the mix and liberally spread over and inside the fish.

Place the fish onto a lined baking sheet and bake for about 7 minutes on the top shelf of a hot oven.

Whiz up a good handful of black olives (less their stones) and add to the potatoes as you mash them. Drizzle in good olive oil until your mash reaches the desired consistency. There should be no need to add salt as the olives are salty enough.

Serve with a simple salad.

Pan-fried mackerel with olive oil mash and watercress salsa verde

serves 2

2 mackerel, filleted

for the mash
5 potatoes
olive oil
Maldon sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

for the salsa verde
150g watercress
3 tbsp chopped fresh flatleaf parsley, chopped
1 large spring onion
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 lemon, zest only
2 tbsp capers, rinsed and drained
2 tbsp homemade breadcrumbs
3 tbsp good olive oil
Maldon sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Place the potatoes into a pan of salted, boiling water; cook until tender. Drain and leave for a couple of minutes. Add a splash of olive, season and mash.

Season the mackerel with freshly ground black pepper. Heat a frying pan until hot, add a little olive oil. Place the mackerel skin-side down into the pan; hold down for a few seconds (to stop it curling). Cook for a minute per side. Remove from the pan and leave to rest.

For the watercress salsa verde, bring a small pan of salted water to the boil. Add the watercress and cook for one minute. Drain and refresh in iced water. Add the re-drained watercress and the other ingredients to a food processor and process to a purée. Season to taste.

Scottish salmon Scotch eggs with pickled beetroot

Serves 2


for the scotch egg
2 free-range eggs
100g salmon fillet, finely chopped
75g smoked salmon, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
1/2 lemon, juice only
Maldon sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
100g plain flour
1 free-range egg, beaten
100g homemade breadcrumbs
vegetable oil for frying

for the pickled beetroot
1 or 2 fresh purple beetroot
50ml white wine vinegar
20ml water
50g caster sugar


For the pickle, Place the beetroot/sin a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes; or until tender. Leave to cool before peeling and dicing. transfer to a bowl.

Heat the vinegar, water and sugar in a saucepan until the sugar has dissolved. Simmer for 5 minutes before pouring over your little cubes of beetroot. Leave to cool; then. place in the fridge to chill.

Boil 2 eggs for 4 minute; drain and refresh in cold water. Refresh again and carefully peel the eggs: set aside.

Mix the mix together in a bowl with the lemon juice. Add the dill and season with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Take a handful of the mixture and flatten it out (if you wet your hands it won't stick so much). place the boiled egg in the centre and bring the rest around the egg to cover; adding extra if needed. Press firmly to seal. Dust with flour; then dip in the beaten egg and roll in the breadcrumbs.

Half-fill a deep pan with vegetable oil and heat to 180ºC. Carefully drop the Scotch eggs into the oil and cook for 2-3 minutes; or until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a piece of kitchen paper.

Plate up. I served these on a bed of wilted spinach and Hollandaise sauce.

Trout Super Salad

 serves 2

5 tbsp Bulgar wheat

10 small broccoli florets

1 whole, cleaned trout

5 handfuls of mixed leaves  (frisee, radicchio and watercress)

3 vine-ripened tomatoes

110g frozen peas

1 lemon

2 glugs of olive oil

3 tbsp alioli

3 tbsp Greek yoghurt

3 tbsp toasted pipas (sunflower seeds)

1 handful of chopped parsley

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1.Preheat the oven to 220ºc
2.Rinse the fish and pat dry. Into the cavity goes 3 bay leaves and a good grind of freshly ground black pepper.

3.Place on a sheet of grease-proof paper on tin foil and scrunch up the joined edges to form a parcel tightly enclosing the fish.

4.Bake the trout en papillote in the oven for about 15 minutes. Leave to cool a little before opening the parcel and removing the fillets from the bone.
5.Bring a small pan of lightly salty water to the boil. Add the Bulgar wheat and boil for 1 minute, turn off the gas and cover.
6.In a large bowl mix the broccoli, peas, lettuce leaves and tomatoes. dress with the sea salt, pepper, juice of 1 half of the lemon and the olive oil. Toss
7.Drain the Bulgar wheat and add it to the salad mix along with the toasted pipas.
8.Divide between 2 plates and lay the fillets on top.
9.Mix the alioli and Greek yoghurt together and liberally dress you salad. Finish with a wedge of lemon.