Smoked haddock and tuna fish cakes with Garlic and mayonnaise dip

Steve bought 3 large smoked haddock fillets for £3.50 last week this is why he does the shopping he always comes home with a bargain. I put them in the freezer and yesterday I made these little darlings I must admit I wasn’t sure how they would turn out, they was very Moorish and I thought they tasted even better as they cooled down. I used Naan bread for the breadcrumbs because that’s all I had in on the day. We had these as a starter before having a curry and had the rest the next day for lunch.

Makes 14-16 fish cakes

FISH CAKES

300 x peeled diced potatoes

450g x smoked haddock fillets

1 x 185g tin drained tuna in brine (optional)

25g x butter

4 x shallots or 1 x small onion finely chopped

2 x garlic cloves crushed

¼ tsp dried coriander

½ tsp dried chilli powder

3tbsp x mayonnaise

1tsp x Dijon mustard

1 x lemon (juice only)

½ tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

1 x egg beaten

Put the potatoes in a large pan, cover with water and bring to the boil, turn down the heat and simmer till potatoes are tender drain the water off  through a sieve  put back into the pan and put to one side, meanwhile put the haddock into a wide fitting pan cover with water put on a medium heat and bring to the boil turn off the heat place a lid on the pan and leave for 10 mins till the haddock is cooked through, drain the water off,  when the haddock has cooled enough to handle  remove any bones and skin flake fish into the potatoes, drain the tinned tuna pressing out all the brine add to the potato mixture mash them together until the fish and potatoes are well incorporated, meanwhile on a medium heat melt the butter add the shallots and garlic cook for 5 mins stirring all the time.

Place the mayonnaise and mustard in a bowl add the chilli powder, coriander; lemon juice, salt pepper and egg, with a whisk mix all the ingredients together when well mixed add together with the shallots and garlic to the potato and fish mixture, mix all the ingredients together taking care to make sure everything is mixed in evenly. take a small amount of the mixture and roll into a ball press the top down gently with you hand to make the shape of a fish cake repeat the process till all the mixture is used, place them on a floured surface as you go I used 2 large plates. Put the fish cakes in the fridge while you prepare the breadcrumbs and mayonnaise.

BREADCRUMBS

1x large garlic & Coriander Naan bread

2 x eggs beaten

25g x plain flour

GARLIC MAYONNAISE

1-2 x garlic cloves crushed

200ml x mayonnaise

Put the garlic and mayonnaise in a bowl and mix together, place in the fridge till ready to use.

Take the Naan bread tear it into pieces and place in a blender,  blend on full speed till it resembles breadcrumbs put the breadcrumbs in one bowl the beaten egg in another bowl and the flour in a third bowl , starting with the flour place one fish cake in the flour and with a spoon coat the fish cake gently shake off any excess flour, dip the fish cake into the egg and coat on both sides, place into the breadcrumbs making sure the fish cakes are well coated  repeat the process till all the fish cakes are breaded, place in the fridge for around 30 minutes to firm up.

Cook in a little oil on a medium heat till crispy and golden brown  serve with the garlic mayonnaise and a bit of salad and lemon to garnish, go on you know  you want to.

Carol's One chicken two meals and three recipes

Steve came home with 2 decent sized chickens for £7.00 what’s going on cheap or what, anyway this is what I made with one of the chickens, Steve said he is going to make a Gambian dish called Domada with the other watch this space.

POACHED CHICKEN

1 x chicken

1 x carrot peeled and roughly chopped

1 x onion quartered

1 x stick celery roughly chopped

1tsp x peppercorns

1 x bay leaf

1 x bouquet of garni

10 x mushroom stalks (reserve the mushrooms for the pie)

2 ½ltr -3ltr x water to cover

Place the chicken and the rest of the ingredients into a large pan, cover with water and bring to boiling point removing any scum from the surface with a spoon, turn down the heat and simmer till chicken is cooked around 1 ½ hours, Remove the chicken from the stock and set to one side till cool enough to handle, meanwhile strain the stock through a sieve into a pan and with a spoon gently press the vegetables so you get all the juices from them discard the sieved pulp. Reserve the stock for the soup and pie. Remove the chicken breast from the bone cover with cling film and when cool enough put in the fridge till you make the pie (make sure you use it within two days) do the same with the chicken legs.

INGREDIENT FOR THE CHICKEN SOUP

30g x butter

2 x onions chopped

1 x large carrots diced

1 x stick celery diced

300g x potatoes diced

5ooml x chicken stock

½ tsp x dried thyme

½ tsp x dried dill

¼ tsp x garlic salt

1 x bay leaf

2 x cooked chicken legs

2 x tbsp double cream

Plenty of fresh ground black pepper and salt to taste

On a medium heat melt the butter in a large pan, add the onion and cook for around five minutes add the carrots, celery and potatoes and cook for a further 2 minutes, add the stock, thyme, Dill, garlic salt and bay leaf bring to boiling point then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes or till the vegetables are soft.

Remove and discard the bay leaf.

Put half of the liquid and vegetables into a blender blend till smooth return back to the soup pan add the cooked chicken, black pepper, salt and double cream heat through till hot serve with crusty bread rolls and butter.

INGREDIENTS FOR THE CHICKEN & MUSHROOM PIE

PASTRY

275g x plain flour

¼ tsp x salt

Pinch mustard

65g x butter diced

65g x lard diced

1 x egg yolk mixed with 2 x tbsp water

Put the flour into a blender with the salt and mustard, blend for few seconds then add the butter and lard, blend till the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs.

Add a small amount of the egg and water mix and blend for a couple of seconds at a time repeating the process till the mixture starts to come together and form into clumps, take the pastry out of the blender, sprinkle flour onto a dry surface and lightly knead the pastry into a smooth ball shape, Divide the pastry into two pieces one slightly larger than the other, the larger piece will be for the base of the pie and the smaller for the top Wrap the pastry in cling film reserve in the fridge, Meanwhile make the filling

CHICKEN FILLING

50g x butter

1 x onion finely chopped

180g x white cap mushrooms quartered

2 x garlic clove crushed

50g x plain flour

¼ x tsp dried mustard

250ml x reserved chicken stock

125 ml x milk

 ½ tsp dried dill (optional)

2 x chicken breasts diced

1 x tsp Salt

1 x tsp black pepper  

On a medium heat melt the butter, add the onion and mushrooms cook for 5 minutes add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stir in the flour and mustard cook for a further minute, with a hand whisk stir in the stock a little at a time till it starts to thicken keep stirring  the sauce till it comes to a simmer cook for a couple of minutes, take the pan off the heat and stir in the milk take the pan off the heat add  the diced chicken, dill, salt and pepper stir well  put to one side while you roll the pastry.

Pre- heat oven 200c/400f/gas mark 6

PUT THE PIE TOGETHER

Grease the base of a 10 inch pie dish with a little lard or margarine and put to one side. Sprinkle your work surface with plain flour, with a rolling pin roll out the larger piece of  reserved pastry  turning the pastry with the flat of your hand a little at a time, take your time with this as the pastry will roll easier as you go along. Roll out the pastry till you have 11 inch circle.

Use the rolling pin to lift the pastry to line the pie dish, gently mould the pastry into the dish. Spoon the chicken filling into the pie base, Roll out the remaining pastry to a 10 inch circle for the pastry lid.

Brush the edges of the pastry base with a little water place the pastry lid on top and seal the edges of the pie by gently pressing the tip of  a fork around the edge. Brush the top of the pie with egg yolk, bake in a pre-heated oven for 40 minutes.

  

      

Carol’s creamy brandy sauce, served with deep fried breaded scampi and Melba toast

This is nice as a starter, I remember years ago when I worked in a pub, I was lucky to be taken to the local Italian restaurant by the landlady I worked for, the restaurant was called Cesares Palace, they did a scampi in brandy sauce and it was delicious, I wish I had the recipe, does anyone out there know it?

If you use prawns instead of scampi defrost if frozen, pat dry before you put them in the sauce.

Melba toast

1 x small unsliced white loaf cut into 1 ½ inch slices.

Toast slices of bread under the grill on both sides till golden brown.

Slice each piece of toast through the centre between the toasted sides so you have two pieces from each slice, place the untoasted sides under the grill till golden brown and crispy, the sides of the bread usually curls and set to one side until required.

Brandy cream sauce

20g x butter

2 x shallots or ½ small onion finely chopped

2 x garlic cloves

100ml x  brandy or white wine.

¼ tsp x dried tarragon

1 x tsp tomato puree

¼ x tsp paprika

¼ x tsp Dijon mustard

250ml x double cream

pinch cayenne pepper

400g frozen breaded scampi or peeled and cooked prawns, if you use prawns add them to the pan just before serving and heat through

  

Put the butter in a frying pan melt on a low heat, add the shallots and garlic and cook until softened, pour in the brandy add the tarragon bring to the boil and reduce by half, add the tomato puree, paprika, Dijon mustard, double cream, bring to the boil stirring all the time, lower the heat and reduce to a thick sauce around 15 minutes, add the cayenne pepper and salt to taste.                                                                                                                                      Cook the scampi following packet instructions, you can do this while the sauce is thickening

warm the melba toast in a pre heated oven 180c/ 350f /gas mark 4.

Carol's fish stock

Remember me telling you about the lobster well Steve bought uncooked langoustines at the same time “I don’t know why I am scared of shell fish” anyway I thought I would have a go, I cooked them in boiling water for around 3 minutes drained them and spent the next half hour peeling the little blighters.

The ones I’ve seen on TV were ruddy great big ones anyway I persevered and ended up with no more than a handful, so I ate them with garlic mayo yum, not to be beaten I used the heads, body and shell of the langoustines and some vegetables left over from last week to make a fish stock, recipe as follows. I asked Steve to buy me some ready cooked & peeled, langoustines for my Scampi in a brandy cream sauce that I am now determined to make, served with Melba toast recipe to follow.

INGREDIENTS

Place Langoustines heads, tail and any shell in pan with

1 x onion quartered

1 x carrot roughly chopped

1 x piece celery

6 x black peppercorns

1 x sprig of thyme

2 x parsley stalks

1 x bay leaf

Place all the ingredients In a large pan Cover with around 2-3 litres of  water bring to the boil skim any scum that comes to the surface with a spoon, reduce heat simmer on a low heat for 1 hour, remove from the heat  drain the stock through a sieve into a clean pan return to the heat and simmer till the stock has reduced to 300ml put the stock on a jug and leave to go cold use within 2 days or freeze in a container for up to 2 months, Recipe using this stock to follow.

Carol's Crab and Lobster fish cakes.

Yesterday I was confronted with a cooked lobster I know my husband Steve likes a bargain but this is going too far, he said it was reduced from £10 to £3.50 from our local supermarket. I have never used lobster before so hear we go, THIS IS SCARY

Prepare your ingredients.

2            X THICK SLICES OF WHOLE MEAL BREAD OR WHITE BREAD

50G       X CORNFLAKES

350G     X POTATOES PEELED AND CHOPPED COVER WITH COLD WATER

1/4TSP  X TARRAGON

2            X EGG YOLKS

130G     X LOBSTER MEAT

240G     X 2 X170G TINS DRAINED CRAB MEAT in brine

1/2 TSP X PAPRIKA

1/4 TSP X GARLIC GRANULES

1/4 TSP X CHILLI POWDER

GENEROUS PINCH CEYENNE PEPPER

JUICE HALF LEMON

SALT AND PEPPER TO TASTE

2            X TBSP PLAIN FLOUR

2            X  EGGS

Breadcrumbs

Preheat the oven to 200c/400f /gas mark6 put the bread in a dry roasting tin place in the bottom of the oven till bread is dry and brittle around 15 mins remove from oven and leave to cool, put the bread in a blender blend on full power till bread resembles breadcrumbs, add the cornflakes blend for a few seconds and set to one side.

Meanwhile drain the potatoes and cover with fresh water add the tarragon bring to boiling point turn down the heat simmer potatoes till tender. Drain the potatoes through a mesh sieve so you don’t loose the tarragon return to the pan on a low heat dry the potatoes for 1 minute take off the heat and cool, add egg yolks to the potatoes and mash till smooth put to one side.

Cut the lobster down the middle, from head to tail remove the white meat from the tail end discard the dark vein, crack open the claws remove the white meat and as much of the white meat from the rest of the shell discard the grey matter and spongy bits.

Drain the crab meat through a sieve, with the back of a spoon press down on the crab meat to remove the rest of the brine, put the crab, lobster and the rest of the ingredient in a blender, blend on full power for a minute put the mixture into a large bowl and add to the potatoes mix till well combined.

Using a dessert spoon as a measure, scoop a good amount of the mixture and roll into a ball with the palms of your hands then gently press with the palm to form a  fish cake, repeat till all the mixture is used.

Put the flour in a small bowl, beat eggs together in another bowl, and put the breadcrumbs on a plate.

Lightly flour the fish cakes, dip into the beaten eggs then coat in the breadcrumbs put on a plate in the fridge till ready to use, shallow fry in oil till golden and crispy.

Carol’s tomato and roasted red pepper soup

My husband Steve has the bug for buy one get one free, as soon as he says “you’ll never  guess what I’ve bought”  I know I’m in for a challenge, this is the result of one of those moments I ended up with loads of red peppers.

Prepare your ingredients

4 X RED PEPPERS SLICED INTO LARGE PIECES DISCARDING THE SEEDS AND STALK (buy one bag get one free)

4 X CLOVES GARLIC LEFT IN THEIR SKINS

LITTLE OLIVE OIL

1 X TBSP OLIVE OIL

1 X ONION CHOPPED

1 X LARGE POTATOES CHOPPED

2 X 400G TINNED CHOPPED TOMATOES OR FRESH

2 X TSP PAPRIKA

PINCH CAYENE PEPPER

PINCH CHILLI POWDER

½ TSP DRIED THYME

½ TSP DRIED BASIL

1 BAY LEAF

2 X VEGATABLE STOCK CUBES

2 X CHICKEN STOCK CUBES

500ML X BOILING WATER

2 X TBSP GREEK YOGHURT

WHITE OR BLACK PEPPER, SALT TO TASTE

Pre- heat oven to 220c/450f/gas mark 7

Place the red peppers and garlic onto a baking tray,  drizzle  oil over them  put the peppers skin side up and roast together with the garlic in the oven  till the skins of the  peppers  blacken this may take around 20 minutes

Remove the peppers and garlic from oven when cool enough to handle remove and discard the skins, place to one side.                    

Meanwhile heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large pan, add the onion cook on a medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the potato, tomatoes, paprika, cayenne pepper and chilli powder stir and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the thyme, basil, bay leaf  and water,  crumble in the stock cubes stir well and bring to a simmer cook till  the potatoes are tender. Remove the soup from heat and leave to cool for 10 minutes. Remove the bay leaf put soup into a

blender and blend on full speed for around 30 seconds.

 Pour soup through a sieve back into the pan add the yoghurt, salt and pepper to taste.

Why not try this with hot bread rolls, go on you know you want to.

  

 Recipe for Soda bread rolls to follow