Monkfish with Chorizo, Tapenade and Sundried Tomato Stew

Monkfish with Chorizo, Tapenade and Sundried Tomato Stew

Monkfish isn't the cheapest fish, I know, but it's firmer and slightly meatier than most, and you don't need much in this stew, what with the beans to bulk it up and the hits of flavour from the crispy chorizo. Also, it's a little bit special, and a nice change from your everyday choices of haddock or cod- hence why I chose this dish to make for my dad's birthday dinner (well, the last night before he left for work abroad that week). 

I also decided to make this delicious, Mediterranean inspired stew because my sister was still here and, being pescatarian, this dish worked for her because you can simply leave out the chorizo - although I'd thoroughly recommend it for a lovely extra crisped texture, and a great burst of spices and flavour. 

However, just because I made this for my dad's birthday doesn't make it inaccessible as a weekday meal. It tastes extravagant, with a rich and deeply flavoured tomato and tapenade sauce (if you take the time to reduce it down), intensified with the sweetness of sundried tomatoes... but the store-cupboard ingredients and the side of satisfying but affordable rice makes this a completely affordable dinner perfect for any day of the week. 

Packed with punchy, fresh Mediterranean flavours and healthy protein from the beans and fish, this is a great stew for a cosy evening at home. 

Monkfish with Chorizo, Tapenade and Sundried Tomato Stew

Serves 2 

Ingredients:

• 10 mins prep

• 10 mins cooking 

• 1 tsp oil

• 60g chorizo 

• 2 monkfish fillets cut into chunks, approx 350g

• 50g sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped

• 2 tsp Olive & Sun-Dried Tomato Tapenade

• 400g can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

• 227g can chopped tomatoes
• ½ x 25g pack fresh parsley, roughly chopped

Method:

1. Roughly chop the sun dried tomatoes and set aside. Chop the chorizo and then the monkfish and heat the oil in a pan. 
2. Fry the chorizo for 2 minutes, then remove to a plate covered in kitchen roll. Fry the monkfish for 2-3 minutes and then do the same, putting the chunks on a different plate. 
3. Return the chorizo to the pan and stir in the sun-dried tomatoes and tapenade, followed by the chop tomatoes. Fill the tomato can a quarter with water and add to the pan before simmering for eight minutes. Once you've turned the heat low to simmer, start cooking your rice in a saucepan of boiling water. 
4. Add the beans to the tomatoes and then return the fish to the pan. Cover and cook gently for 5 minutes.
5. Scatter over the parsley and serve with the cooked rice. 

Adapted from Waitrose Monkfish and Chorizo Bean Stew 

The Best Porridge 

I know, saying this is the best porridge is perhaps pushing it... and I understand that people have their own very specific preferences for porridge, so take that first statement with a pinch of salt. 

Which is key, by the way, in porridge. Just a pinch, mind, but it intensifies the flavour which for me should be unadulterated by spices or flavourings, and even sweeteners. That is, for this base recipe, which is the one I always return to after being a bit more experimental. 

I made this porridge for my mum on Mother's Day, for breakfast in bed (hence the questionable decoration, which caused a few laughs due it its apparent likeness to my grandma. I think it was the hair, or her 'perm'). 

Normally my mum likes her porridge quite dry and.. stodgy, in my humble opinion (it tends to get left drying out on the stove while she hangs out the washing before work), but she really enjoyed this version, the perfect goldilocks balance of water and milk, and of thick and thin, with some ripe, juicy berries scattered on top.

Ingredients: 

• 1/2 cup of traditional porridge oats

• 1/4 cup of water

• 1/2 - 3/4 cup of milk 

• Toppings of your choice; see 'variations' 

Method: 

1. Put half of the milk in a small saucepan on a high heat while you measure out the rest of the ingredients 
2. Add the oats to the pan and stir briefly, then after a minute turn the heat down to med-low/low 
3. Now leave the porridge simmering very gently for five minutes, stirring now and then and taking care not to let it dry out or stick to the bottom of the pan. Add the water half way through, and continue to stir. After five minutes, keep stirring and as the water is absorbed, gradually stir in most of the remaining milk, leaving some for the end.
4. Once the oats are tender, and so is the fruit, turn of the heat and decant your porridge into a bowl. Let it rest for a minute or two to cool and relax, then stir in the last of the milk to relax it again, unless you like a stodgier porridge. 

Cajun Salmon

with Coconut Rice, Peas and Beans 

When my sister came back from uni for December, I realised the whole menu for the month needed a fair bit of rejigging because, well, she's become pescetarian (much to the horror of my grandmother)... Which meant that I could either cook all the meals that had chicken or red meat twice, making a vegetarian version- or I could just shove anything with meat into the first two weeks of the Christmas season, and save the fish and veggie meals for when she came home.  

For me, the second option seemed easier, and I preferred the idea of us all eating the same thing... 

Hence this old favourite turned up: spiced Cajun salmon with coconut rice, black beans and peas. 

We've had it before, months ago now, and did it with basmati instead of whole grain rice, oddly resulting in a grey-tinged rice because of the coconut and black beans. So I think it's safe to say I'd definitely use whole grain, which contains not only double the fibre of white rice, but has a lovely texture and slight nutty flavour. Don't fret, either, that it will take too long waiting for the rice; the whole meal only takes as long as the rice does to cook, so if you get it on first, you're guaranteed a delicious meal on the table in the next 20-25 minutes. 

And what could be better than lightly spiced fish, drizzled with honey for a lovely glaze, grilled to perfection, and served with steaming rice and a wedge of lime to squeeze over? 

Give it a go and you won't regret it, I promise :) 

Cajun Salmon 

with Coconut Rice, Peas and Beans

Serves: 4

25 minutes

Ingredients:

• 400ml can of light coconut milk 
• 200ml vegetable stock
• 200g Brown Basmati & Wild Rice (or whole grain/ brown rice) 
• 400g can black beans (drained and rinsed)
• 2 tbsp fresh thyme (chopped)
• 50g frozen peas 
• 4 fresh, sustainably caught salmon fillets 
• 2-3 tsp cajun seasoning
• 1 tbsp essential Waitrose Squeezy Honey
• 1 Lime (in wedges)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6, fan 180°C
2. Pour the coconut milk and stock into a large pan and bring to the boil, add the rice, beans and thyme, cover and simmer for 20 minutes until tender, adding the peas for the last 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, place the salmon on a lightly greased baking tray, sprinkle with the cajun seasoning and drizzle over the honey. Bake for 10 minutes until just cooked throughout. 
4. In the last 5 minutes for the fish, trim two handfuls of tenderstem broccoli, asparagus or other seasonal vegetables and cook in a small pan of boiling water for 3-4 minutes. Drain in a colander and let steam dry, before squeezing over a bit of like juice 
5. Serve with the rice, beans and peas, with the vegetables alongside and a wedge of lime too. 

Recipe from Waitrose.com

Mango Mojito Pancakes 

with Passionfruit and Coconut Yoghurt 

I know Shrove Tuesday (or pancake day, for the food-conscious out there), has been and gone, but I had a lot of things on my plate (like these delicious crêpes). Honestly, what with work and getting other recipes up on the blog, I kind of got sidetracked. 

But no more! These fantastic pancakes are available for your degustation. If you make them. Which you should. 

On the pancake days of old, when my sister and I were little, it was always my mum's crêpe-like pancakes for tea with the simple, perfect topping we had during holidays in France: sugar and lemon. Then, when we got older, we'd have a slightly thicker, fluffier pancake for breakfast on Shrove Tuesday, again, with sugar and lemon. 

But this year, I decided the time had come for something new. I often make buttermilk blueberry pancakes with compote and yoghurt, or crêpes with tropical fruits and yoghurt, but when I came across this recipe I knew it'd be perfect for pancake day. My mum loves mango, and she possibly enjoys a mojito even more- so with the combination of tangy, lime and rum-cooked mango, creamy coconut yoghurt and a sprinkling of passionfruit and lime zest, what was not to love? 

This is next level in the world of pancakes, so if you want to up your pancake game, why not serve these up at your next brunch and wow your friends? (if you partake in such things, that is. My friends still tend to be sleeping in when it's a respectable hour for brunch). 

Mango Mojito Pancakes

with Passionfruit and Coconut Yoghurt 

Serves 4 

• Prep: 15 mins
• Cooking: 15 mins
• 30 mins total 

Ingredients:

• 2 Ripe Mangoes, peeled, stoned and sliced 
• 1/2 tbsp golden rum 
• 1/2 tbsp apple juice 
• 1/2 tbsp light brown muscovado sugar 
• Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime
• 1 tbsp shredded fresh mint 
• 120g natural coconut yogurt, to serve
• The insides of 2 passionfruit 

For the pancakes: 

• 100g plain flour
• 1 medium British Blacktail Free Range Egg
• 300ml milk
• A little sunflower oil, for greasing 

Method:

1.      Place the 1/2 the mango in a heatproof bowl. Gently heat the rum and apple juice and sugar in a pan, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Hold a match over the vapours and stand back, letting it flambée. Add the other 1/2 of the mango to the pan and cook on a low heat for 5-7 mins. 

2.     Pour the cooked mango and the sauce over the mango and set aside to cool. Add most of the lime zest, juice and mint to the cooled mango, then chill until ready to serve.

3.     Place the flour and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Make a well in the centre and crack in the egg and a little of the milk. Whisk together, gradually incorporating the remaining milk to make a smooth batter.

4.     Lightly grease a 20cm heavy-based non-stick frying pan. Add enough batter to thinly coat the pan’s base and cook over a medium heat for about 1 minute, or until golden brown. Flip over and cook the other side until golden brown.

5.     Put two or three slices of mango on the top half of a crêpe and fold the other half up. Put another few slices on the pancake then fold from the side to make a triangle and cover the mango. Repeat and then place 2 pancakes on each plate and top with the leftover mango and dollop on some yoghurt. Drizzle over the leftover rum and lime sauce, spoonfuls of passionfruit and the remaining lime zest. Serve deliciously warm. 

Adapted from Waitrose mango mojito pancakes

Pork Medallions with Thyme and Mustard Lentils

Pork Medallions with Thyme and Mustard Lentils 

Quick and easy are two words that come to mind with regards to this meal, but the third and most important is delicious. My mum and I aren't too keen on mustard, unlike my dad, but during the week I made this for the both of us. I have to say, we were pleasantly surprised by the balance of flavours - and even more so by the amount of flavour given the short ingredient list and perhaps not too colourful appearance. 

But it's a perfect autumnal dinner, with warming lentils, caramelised medallions of tender pork and some seasonal veg for some lightness. (Please note that the addition of 'ness' improves 99% of words.) 

Here's the recipe:

Pork Medallions with Thyme and Mustard Lentils 

Serves 4

• 40 mins
• 10 mins prep; 30 mins cooking 

Ingredients:

• 100g red split lentils 
• 6 sprigs of thyme 
• 2 tbsp olive oil 
• 4 extra trimmed pork medallions or escalopes
• 2 echalion shallots, (finely sliced)
• 3 large tomatoes (diced)
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 400ml chicken or vegetable stock 
• 440g sprouting or tenderstem broccoli (trimmed)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 190C, then slice 3-4 medium potatoes into 0.5 - 1cm rounds. Drizzle olive oil on a baking tray and toss the potato medallions in it, then sprinkle with salt and roast for 30 - 40 mins, until golden and crisp, but still fluffy inside. 
2. Meanwhile, rinse the lentils thoroughly with cold water in a sieve. Drain and set aside. Pull the leaves from the thyme stalks and set aside
3. Heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a large frying pan on a medium heat. Season the pork medallions with salt and pepper and flatten slightly with your knuckles, or with a rolling pin. Cook the pork medallions for 2 -3 minutes each side, or until golden brown. Remove from the pan and set aside, wrapped in foil. (You're not cooking them through here, just browning and caramelising the outside.) 
4. Heat the remaining oil in the same pan and gently fry the shallots for 2 minutes until soft. Add the tomatoes and fry for a further 2 mins. Add the thyme, mustard, stock and lentils and simmer for 10 minutes, topping up with boiling water if the lentils start to look dry but aren't yet fully soft. 
5. Season the lentils, then reduce the heat and add the medallions to the pan, simmering for 8-10 mins, until the pork is cooked through with no pink meat. Meanwhile, either steam or oil the broccoli for 3-4 minutes, drain, and season with salt, pepper and toss in a squeeze or two of lemon juice. Serve the pork with the lentils, potato medallions and broccoli. 

Adapted from Waitrose recipe card Pork Medallions with Thyme, Mustard and Lentils 

Thai Green Curry 

with Lime Leaves and Green Peppercorns 

On Friday, my parents had organised to go out for the evening to a 'music venue' with their friends to celebrate a birthday, and they'd offered to be the ones to arrange dinner beforehand. The idea of ordering a Chinese takeaway had been entertained, which seemed the logical, easy thing to do, but my parents being my parents they felt that just wouldn't do. And hence it turned into a sort of dinner party, with me cooking both courses. Yes, both dinner and dessert... Which was tarte tatin, by the way. 

Now, given that this evening had evolved into an impromptu dinner party of sorts, the issue of the meal of choice was suddenly raised. Do an old favourite, like the Moroccan fish they'd done before? Something quick and tasty, like a chilli or a bolognese? - Well, in the end they went with both of those things - a quick, tasty favourite of ours, but instead of the perhaps unimaginative choices proposed, we went with Thai green curry. Everyone likes chicken, they said, whereas fish is risky, and Thai green curry is a bit different, a bit special, while having a certain comforting familiarity. 

Wonderfully aromatic, with a light, citrusy flavour and subtle heat, this curry is easy and quick to cook, and is perfect with a pile of steaming, sticky rice to soak up all the deliciousness. And making your own curry paste, while perhaps a bit of a faff for some, really is worth it, giving such an authentic, fresh flavour. 

I really hope you give this a go, because it might just be one of my favourite meals ever -and that's not something I would say lightly... 

Thai Green Curry 

with Lime Leaves and Green Peppercorns

Serves: 4 

• 30 mins prep 
• 15 mins cooking 

Ingredients:

FOR THE CURRY PASTE:

• 4 lemongrass stalks, tougher outer leaves discarded
• 6 medium-hot green chillies, seeded and chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• 5cm/2in piece of galangal or ginger, peeled and chopped
• 2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
• 4 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp chopped lime zest
• 1 tbsp nam pla (Thai fish sauce)
• ½ tsp ground black peppercorns

FOR THE CURRY:

• 750g/1lb 10oz free-range chicken breasts or thighs, bones removed
• 1 tbsp groundnut oil
• 200g/7oz chestnut mushrooms, quartered
• 400ml/14fl oz tin coconut milk
• 400ml/14 fl oz homemade or ready-made chicken stock
• 8 lime leaves
• 1 tbsp nam pla (Thai fish sauce)
• 1 tbsp bottled green peppercorns, drained
• leaves from a large bunch (about 20g/0.7oz) basil, shredded

Method:

1. For the curry paste, slice the lemongrass finely. Put it in a food processor with all the remaining curry paste ingredients and blitz to a thick paste, pushing the mixture down from time to time with a spatula. Transfer to a glass or china dish, cover tightly (otherwise it will taint everything in the fridge) and refrigerate. 
2. For the curry, quarter the mushrooms, then set aside. Cut the chicken into finger-thick strips and mix in a bowl with a tablespoon of the curry paste. 
3. Warm the oil in a casserole and, when hot and sizzling, add the chicken strips and let them colour slightly on all sides briefly. You may need to do this in batches to avoid crowding the pan. 
4. Remove the cooked chicken pieces from the casserole with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen roll. Add the quartered mushrooms to the casserole and fry until golden-brown, adding more oil if needed. 
5. Pour in the coconut milk and stock, then add the lime leaves, four heaped tablespoons of the curry paste, the fish sauce, peppercorns and half of the chopped herbs. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring from time to time.
6. Meanwhile, slice the green pepper and trim the mangetout before slicing lengthways, then add them as soon as they are prepared. 
7. Return the chicken to the casserole with a further spoonful of the paste, if any is left, and simmer for four minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Stir in the last of the herbs and serve in bowls, with rice, a few slices of green chilli and a wedge of lime. 

Recipe adapted from Nigel Slater's Thai Green Curry