Fish curry

Fish on Friday, as usual, but a bit of a change this week.  Lovely haddock from Paul, and a trawl through the veg in the fridge, and we had this delicious, but not very authentic, version of Malaysian fish head curry.  There were no fish heads involved, or any Malaysians for that matter.

Jasmin rice
Peanut oil
Spring onion
Garlic
Curry paste (Malaysian fish head for us, but could have been red thai, or something similar)
Courgette
Mushrooms
Tomato puree
Coconut milk
Haddock (or other white fish)

1.  Cook the rice - I used a rice ball - those things really work - put rice in ball, put into pan of cold water - bring to the boil, boil for about 15 minutes - done!
2.  In a wok, heat peanut oil, then add chopped spring onions, curry paste and crushed garlic.  Stir fry briefly.
3.  Add chopped veg to the wok, and stir fry, then add water/stock and a squirt of tomato puree, simmer until veg a nearly done, stirring occasionally.
4.  Add coconut milk, and taste for seasoning.
5.  Add fish pieces and simmer gently for about 5-6 minutes.
6.  Serve, sprinkling more chopped spring onion on top, scoff.

Spanish fish casserole

You could use any fish in this, really - but I had some lovely haddock and hake (from Paul the fish) in the freezer, so that was what went in for us.

The "spanish" about it is a little bit of heat, a little smokey paprika, peppers and garlic.  It was damn good.

Onion
Garlic
olive oil
Potatoes
courgette
Pepper (yellow or red)
White wine
Chilli flakes
Smoked paprika
Turmeric
Tin chopped tomatoes
Tomato puree
vegetable stock

1.  Sautee chopped onion and crushed garlic in olive oil.
2.  Add chunky diced potatoes - I keep the skin on, but peeled on not - either is fine.
3.  Add chopped courgette and pepper, add a pinch of chilli flakes, a pinch of smoked paprika and a smidge of turmeric.
4.  Pour in about a glass of white wine, and about the same of stock.
5.  Simmer, after 5 minutes add a tin of chopped tomatoes, a tablespoon of tomato puree and a tin of water.  Simmer again, covered.
6.  When the potatoes are just about done (15-18 minutes) add fish to the top, and cover again, to let it steam through for about 5-10 minutes (depends how big your fish is).
7.  Serve, scoff ... could have had crunchy bread and a green salad, could have topped with aioli - but it was delicious by itself.

Pork chop, with cider and mustard sauce

Comfort food!  Pork, mash and cabbage - with a few butter beans with fried onions.  Jazzed it up with some cider and mustard gravy - delicious.

Potatoes
Cabbage
Onions
Butter
Olive oil
Pork chops
Flour
Dry cider
Wholegrain mustard
Chicken stock
Cream cheese/cream

1.  Peel potatoes, boil, steam shredded cabbage on top - then mash the potatoes with butter.  Pop in the oven to get a nice crispy brown top.  Keep the cabbage warm.
2.  Chop onions and fry until golden brown, add drained butter beans.
3.  Fry pork chops, in a little olive oil, on each side for a couple of minutes - keep warm while you make the gravy.
4.  Stir a spoonful of flour into the pork pan, deglaze with dry cider.  Add a little chicken stock and a spoonful of grainy mustard.  Stir and simmer as it thickens a little.  Take it off the heat and stir in a small spoonful of cream cheese (or cream).
5.  Serve, scoff

Steak, with garlic butter

There are 3 fantastic butchers in Todmorden Market Hall - this steak was from Nick Fielden - and it was fantastic.  No real recipe here are all the bits were quite straight forward - fried potatoes, steamed petit pois and broad beans, and fried mushrooms with onions.  The steak was cooked on a hot griddle - with a tiny amount of olive oil brushed onto the surface of the meat - for a couple of minutes each side.  Then let it rest for at least 5 minutes.  I put the garlic butter on top as it was resting, it melted gently and was very succulent.

Trout, with veggies

So these beautiful fresh trout from Paul the Fish ... became this easy and delicious TV dinner.

Roast baby potatoes in olive oil, watch the tennis for 30 minutes ... steam green beans and asparagus, pan fry trout - skin side first - for a few minutes each side ...

Serve, scoff ... whilst watching Andy Murray ...

Smorgasboard (well, a little one)

A gloriously sunny day in Yorkshire, and the veg dodger out, so we had a mini version of a smorgasbord.

A smorgasbord, incase you want to know, is a Swedish buffet which usually has both hot and cold dishes.

Ours had:-

Fried potatoes
Smoked salmon
beech smoked anchovies
Leafy salad
Tomato, avocado, onion and basil salad

No recipes - but - smoked anchovies are amazing - you should try them (even if you think you don't like anchovies).

Chicken and chorizo

It was cold, and I was feeling lazy, so wanted a minimum fuss dinner. Chicken thighs are underused - they are cheap, tender and tasty.  To add a bit of oomph I added sliced chorizo, and to fox the veg dodger I included onions and red pepper.  So even though he body swerved the green salad, he did get some veg with his meat.

Olive oil
onion
red pepper
chicken thighs
chorizo
oven chips
salad leaves


1.  Fry onion in olive oil, add red pepper.
2.  When the onion is a bit soft, it doesn't need to be completely cooked - add chicken pieces, skin side down to brown.  The throw in slices of chorizo.
3.  Transfer chicken to an oven dish,  pour on the other ingredients, cover and bake for about 40 minutes.
4.  Cook oven chips and put out salad.
5.  Serve, scoff

Spicy haddock goujons, with baby roasties

Easy, tasty, and on the table in under 40 minutes.

Baby potatoes
Olive oil
Carrot
Courgette
Sugar snap peas
Haddock
Polenta
Piri piri spice
Fennel seeds

1.  Boil potatoes.  When nearly cooked roast in olive oil for about 20 minutes, just to give them a bit of colour.
2.  Prep the veg and steam for 12(ish) minutes.
3.  Mix polenta, piri piri spice and fennel seeds, lightly coat strips of haddock.
4.  Fry the fish in olive oil for a couple of minutes each side - drain on kitchen paper and keep warm in the bottom of the oven.
5.  Serve, scoff.

See, I said it was easy!