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Details
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Category: Latest News
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Created: 27 January 2020
A fishy’ dinner suggestion from the Great British Chefs website
Salmon and spinach en croute
Ingredients
Pastry
Cheese and spinach sauce
Method
Start by making a thick cheese sauce. Add the butter, flour and milk to a heavy-based saucepan and whisk together over a medium heat, then continue whisking as the sauce heats through, making sure to scrape down the sides
Allow to boil for 2–3 minutes to cook off the flour, whisking all the time. Mix in the grated cheese until smooth, then set aside
In another pan, heat a little olive oil until it begins to smoke, then add the spinach and stir until wilted. Drain immediately to remove any excess liquid, then stir the cooked spinach into the cheese sauce, along with the pine nuts and garlic
Stir to combine, then allow to cool (this mixture will keep in the fridge until ready to assemble and bake)
Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6
To assemble the dish, unroll the first pastry sheet onto a large non-stick baking tray, and place the salmon fillet in the centre. Season well with salt and pepper
Spread a thick layer of the cheese and spinach sauce on top of the salmon, then top with the second sheet of pastry. Tuck the top sheet around the salmon, then brush the edges with a little egg yolk, squeezing the two sheets together to seal
Carefully trim off any excess pastry around the edge; these trimmings could be used to decorate the top of the pastry, if liked (cut out your desired shapes and stick on to the top pastry with a little of the beaten egg)
Brush the whole pastry with the egg, and bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, until golden all over. Serve immediately
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Details
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Category: Latest News
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Created: 27 January 2020
A 'fishy’ dinner suggestion from the Great British Chefs website
Smoked fish pie with cheddar mash topping
Fish pie filling
Ingredients
Cheesy mash topping
White sauce
Method
Begin this fish pie recipe by placing the cod and haddock in a wide pan. Peel and quarter the onion and add along with the bay leaf to the fish. Pour over the milk
Bring the milk up to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for about 6 minutes. Remove the fish from the milk and place it on a plate
Flake the fish into chunky pieces and divide into 8 individual ramekins. Sieve the milk into a jug and set aside to use in the white sauce
Peel the potatoes and cut into 3cm chunks, place in a saucepan. Cover with water and add a pinch of salt. Bring the potatoes to the boil and simmer for about 20 minutes on a low heat
When the potatoes are soft, drain, place the potatoes in a bowl and mash until smooth. Add the 50g of butter and 100g of the grated cheese as you mash
Place the cold milk into a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add this milk to the potatoes and beat. Season with salt and pepper. Once done, set the potato topping aside
To make the white sauce, melt the butter in a pan, stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute over a moderate heat. Gradually add all the set-aside fish poaching milk, whisking continuously
Simmer for 1-2 minutes, stirring, until you have a smooth, slightly thick sauce. Remove the sauce from the heat, season with salt and pepper and add the chopped parsley
Pour the sauce over the fish in the ramekins. Arrange the mashed potato over the top of the sauce and sprinkle on the remaining grated cheese
Place in the oven at 180°C/Gas mark 4 and cook for about 30 minutes until bubbling and golden brown on top. Serve straightaway
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Details
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Category: Latest News
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Created: 18 December 2019
A fishy’ dinner suggestion from the Great British Chefs website
Whole roasted brill with sprouts and potato galette
Ingredients
Brill
Yeast butter
- 50g of fresh yeast
- 250g of unsalted butter, Gary uses Lescure
- 1 tbsp of malt extract
Parsnip purée
- 4 parsnips, peeled, cored and sliced on a mandoline
- 50g of unsalted butter, melted
- 200ml of whole milk
- 200ml of double cream
- salt
Potato galette
Sourdough crumbs
- 200g of sourdough bread, crusts removed
- 100g of butter
Sprouts
Equipment
- Blender
- Small round pastry cutter
Method
Preheat the oven to 160°C/gas mark 3
Prepare the yeast butter before the other elements so it has time to set. Crumble the yeast onto a lined baking tray and roast in the oven for 40 minutes
Allow to cool, then transfer to the blender with the butter and malt extract. Blitz until smooth and combined, then scrape out onto a sheet of cling film. Roll into a log shape and leave to set in the fridge. Remove from the fridge and allow to soften slightly before using
Decrease the oven temperature to 130°C/gas mark ½
To make the parsnip purée, sweat the parsnips in an ovenproof pan with the butter. Add the milk, cream and a pinch of salt
Cover with a cartouche and cook in the oven until soft. Once cooked, transfer the contents of the pan to a blender and blitz until silky-smooth. Pass through a fine chinois for an even smoother finish, then set aside
Increase the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4
Wash the brill, removing the head and trimming the skirt with a sturdy pair of scissors
Now prepare the brine for the brill. Depending on how large your tray is, you'll need approximately 6–8 litres of water, plus 10% the weight of the water in salt. For 8 litres of water, you'll need 800g of salt, for 6 litres, 600g of salt, and so on. The exact quantities will depend on the size of the tray and the size of the fish – you'll need enough to completely submerge the fish in the brine
Once you've calculated your water and salt quantities, add them to the tray and mix until the salt has dissolved. Add the brill to the brine and set aside for 40 minutes
To make the potato galette, thinly slice the potatoes using a mandolin and place in a bowl of warm clarified butter. Season well with salt and pepper
Lay the potatoes neatly in a round baking dish, preferably a cast iron one, sprinkling each layer with thyme leaves and sliced garlic. When all the potatoes are used, cover with a sheet of greaseproof paper and place in the oven 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the bottom layer of the potato is golden and crispy
Remove the brill from the brine and pat dry. Place on a large baking tray lined with parchment paper, season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Bake in the oven with the potatoes for 25 minutes
When the potatoes are ready, remove from the oven and leave to rest
When the brill is ready, remove from the oven and squeeze over some fresh lemon juice. Rest for a further 20 minutes before carving
Meanwhile, prepare the sourdough crumb. Place the bread in a blender and blitz to a fine crumb. Heat the butter in a pan and once foaming, add the breadcrumbs and cook until crisp. Drain on a tray lined with kitchen paper and set aside
Turn the potatoes out of the dish onto a board and brush with clarified butter. Cut a hole in the centre of the potatoes using a small round cutter and pipe the reserved parsnip purée in the centre. Finish with some picked thyme leaves and sourdough crumbs
Blanch the sprouts in salted boiling water for 5 minutes, until just cooked. It is important to ensure they are cooked properly to remove the bitter taste of an undercooked sprout
Once cooked, toss the sprouts in plenty of the yeast butter. Season with freshly ground black pepper and rock salt, then finish with some micro planed fresh chestnut and sourdough crumbs
Serve the rested brill on a large board or platter, and carefully portion at the table
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Details
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Category: Latest News
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Created: 24 October 2019
A fishy’ dinner suggestion from the Great British Chefs website
Grilled sea bass, crisp okra fingers, coconut rice and dhal sauce
by
Vineet Bhatia
Ingredients
Grilled sea bass
Crispy okra
Coconut rice
Dhal sauce
Method
First make the dhal sauce. Wash the lentils under cold running water, then place in a deep pan and cover with 4 times their volume of water. Leave to soak for an hour
Put the lentils on the heat and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer until the lentils are soft and broken down, skimming off any scum from the surface. Add more water, if necessary, to prevent the lentils sticking to the base of the pan
Heat the vegetable oil in a separate pan and add the cumin seeds. When they begin to splutter, add the garlic, ginger and green chilli and sauté until the garlic begins to colour lightly
Add the turmeric, red chilli powder and the chopped onions, and sweat. Add the tomato, cook for 2 minutes, then pour the mixture over the lentils. Season with salt and stir together well
Blitz the lentils until smooth, put back on the heat and add the butter, adjust the seasoning and keep warm
For the coconut rice, cook the basmati rice slightly less than the packet instructions tell you so it retains a little bite. Drain thoroughly
Heat the oil in a heavy-based pan, add the butter and sprinkle in the mustard seeds. When they begin to pop, add the ginger, green chilli and curry leaves. Sauté for 30 seconds, then add the shallot and grated coconut. Reduce the heat and sauté until the shallot is softened but not coloured
Now add the cooked rice, lemon juice and salt. Toss the rice until heated through, then remove from the heat, and stir in the chopped coriander
For the okra, mix together the spices and coriander stalks and toss with the okra. Add the lemon juice and some salt and set aside for 2 minutes. Add the gram flour a little at a time until it lightly coats the okra
Deep-fry in vegetable oil heated to 175°C until golden and crisp, then drain on kitchen paper (if you don’t have a thermometer, check it is hot enough by adding a cube of bread to the oil. It should start to bubble and fry, but not burn, the moment it has been added)
Season the sea bass fillets with sea salt and pepper. Heat the oil on a large, flat griddle (or in a heavy-based frying pan) over a medium heat and add the fish, skin-side down
Fry for about a minute, until seared underneath, then turn and cook the other side. Remove from the pan and leave to rest for 2 minutes
Place a ring mould on each serving plate and fill with the rice. Top with the fish, and arrange the okra over it. Spoon the dhal sauce around the fish, making a moat. Serve immediately
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Details
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Category: Latest News
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Created: 24 October 2019
A fishy’ dinner suggestion from the Great British Chefs website
Steamed mussels with cider, leeks and chorizo
by
Georgina Fuggle
Ingredients
Method
To begin, scrub the mussels and remove any sand or beards, knock away any barnacles if you discover them. Discard any open mussels that refuse to close even when given a sharp tap. Rinse well under cold water and set aside
Heat the olive oil and butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat and sauté the chorizo. Fry for a few minutes until you have a rust coloured bubbling lava at the bottom of the pot. Add the garlic, chopped leeks and thyme and cook for a further few minutes, until the leek begins to soften and loose their shape
Turn up the heat and add the cider and mussels. Cover tightly with a lid and steam for 5–7 minutes, shaking the pan once or twice to encourage the mussels to open. Reduce the heat to a simmer and, using a large slotted spoon, remove the mussels to deep warmed bowls. Pour the cream into the juices and cook for a further couple of minutes before dredging your waiting mussels. Sprinkle parsley liberally and serve with a chunk of bread to mop up leftover juices
