Cooked long and slow in the Provençal style, calamari becomes amazingly tender with a rich and deep flavour. Enjoy it with a crusty baguette, a fresh green salad and a crisp white wine. This recipe, from PROVENCE Gastronomique by Erica Brown, also works with squid, cuttlefish or octopus. If you intend to clean your own calamari,…… Continue reading slow-cooked calamari
Category: fish & seafood
spicy prawns + vegetables in coconut
These two dishes use Belacan, a shrimp paste pressed into a block and sun-dried. It’s an essential ingredient in Malaysian cooking which adds a unique depth of flavour. Pre-roasting, a necessary step, reduces it’s very strong smell and flavour. Wrap a piece in foil and roast it over an open flame or in the oven until…… Continue reading spicy prawns + vegetables in coconut
steamed fish with spicy sauce
Here’s a spicy Sichuan-style sauce for any white fish. This recipe is for 700g (1½ lbs) of fish fillets. Make a slurry of 1 tablespoon of water and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and set aside. Finely chop ½ an onion and mince 1 clove of garlic. Finely chop a few shiitake mushrooms and ¼ of a…… Continue reading steamed fish with spicy sauce
turmeric chilli squid + belacan asparagus
Fifi cooked up a storm when she stayed recently. This Malaysian squid dish includes ingredients popular throughout South-East Asia such as turmeric and kaffir lime leaves. Place 700g (1½ lbs) of fresh squid rings in a non-reactive bowl and add 1½ teaspoons of ground turmeric, 1 tablespoon of chilli flakes, 1 finely minced clove of garlic, 3 finely…… Continue reading turmeric chilli squid + belacan asparagus
lobster tail
Here’s a simple and delicious treat for a luxurious lunch. Christmas, perhaps? Trim the lobster tails and cut down the middle of the inside with a pair of chicken shears. Now, with a heavy knife, cut through the middle of the tail just enough to allow it to open and still stay connected. Season with…… Continue reading lobster tail
snapper with beetroot and olives
David has a way with fish. This amazingly colourful dish was not only stunning to look at but absolutely delicious too. In a medium bowl combine 2 tablespoons of olive oil with 2 crushed cloves of garlic, a 5cm (2″) piece of finely grated fresh ginger, the finely grated zest of 1 lemon and the crushed…… Continue reading snapper with beetroot and olives
spicy stir-fried squid + cabbage and bok choy with bean paste
Now that I’m home I’m inspired to try some Korean cooking. Ojingeo bokkeum is a perennial favorite among Koreans and can be found on most restaurant menus. Like most Korean food it is hearty and spicy. This recipe is adapted from kimchimom.com. In a large bowl mix together 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, 2 teaspoons of minced…… Continue reading spicy stir-fried squid + cabbage and bok choy with bean paste
sous vide salmon
Another (very successful) sous vide experiment. Incredibly moist, tender and flaky! You can achieve many different results cooking by this method. There’s an excellent article on what to expect when cooking salmon by this method at Serious Eats. I cooked mine at 49ºC (120ºF). The fillets had nothing but salt on them when I sealed them into a plastic bag. After 45 minutes…… Continue reading sous vide salmon
green curry mussels
These green-lipped mussels were delicious cooked in a Thai green curry and served over fat egg noodles. For the green curry, a home-made paste is the best but when I’m in a hurry I use store bought curry paste. Fry the paste in a little coconut fat until fragrant then add 1 large diced eggplant (aubergine)…… Continue reading green curry mussels
baked whole snapper + bean sprout salad
Here’s a Japanese recipe for baked fish. After cleaning and drying, cut some slits into the sides of your fish to allow the flavouring to penetrate. For a 1 kg (2 lb) fish, mix 2½ tablespoons of sake, 2 teaspoons of soy sauce, ½ a teaspoon of salt and 2 teaspoons of finely grated fresh ginger. Place some…… Continue reading baked whole snapper + bean sprout salad
michelle picker cooks 