No time to shop? Here’s a new twist on an old-fashioned favourite using canned tuna. Finely dice an onion, a red or green pepper and some Jalapeno or Poblano chillies and fry them gently in some vegetable oil until the onions start to wilt. Add some frozen corn kernels and cook for a few minutes…… Continue reading tuna mornay mexican style
Category: fish & seafood
fennel and seafood salad
Here in the southern hemisphere we recently celebrated the Summer Solstice. Our feast began with this salad, a Yotam Ottolenghi recipe from the cookbook Ottolenghi, cooked by Fifi. It looked magnificent and tasted even better. Trim the tops and bottoms of four fennel bulbs then slice them crosswise as thinly as you can. In a…… Continue reading fennel and seafood salad
spaghetti with mussels
It’s definitely worthwhile taking the mussels out of their shells for this wonderful spaghetti dish. Clean 3 kg (6½ lbs) of mussels. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot with a tight-fitting lid. Add the mussels, cover and cook over high heat until all open. This should take about 5 minutes. Drain the…… Continue reading spaghetti with mussels
slow-cooked calamari
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
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
michelle picker cooks 